Vertigo From Cervical Spine Surgery?

[nopain]

I've had a lot of vertigo and it's STILL Scary

[tinypoms]

Did they start after the surgery? If they did, how long after? My vertigo started one month after. I believe it started when I started sleeping on my side while still wearing my soft collar.

I still have it and am going to an ENT on Thursday for the Epley maneuver.

Joanie

[nopain]

You can do the Eply Maneuver from home.

This video displays the maneuver very well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6t-Bpg494

It is the EXACT same thing that was administered to me by a Neurologist on my first visit shortly after my symptoms.

There is no reason to wait to give it a try. Just watch the video and do it.

Here is supporting text:

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com...bppv/bppv.html

Your vertigo may or may not be related to your ear and some kind of infection.

I had many tests including Balance center testing. And Peripheral causes were ruled out.

An no mine did not occur after surgery.

I get very frustrated with Doctors who try to compartmentalize Vertigo. I saw 3 ENT's and they all said "I don't know". Which is fine. I had a surgeon tell me recently that the ONLY way I could have balance issues is from Spinal Stenosis. Which is know is NOT true.

cervical propriocepters play a role in your balance.

Propriocepters
Specialized nerve endings located in muscles and around joints that are sensitive to touch, pressure, and the movement of muscle tissue surrounding them.

You can research it do death. But trying to find a Doctor to diagnose and pinpoint the "source" of your problem is a nearly impossible task.

If you have Vertigo as the result of an ear infection consider yourself lucky, because they can treat and fix it. It's when it is related to Nerves (Central not Peripheral) that diagnosis and treatment becomes a daunting task.

I hope you get over yours, cause while pain is bad, having your internal gyroscope out of whack is terrifying.

[tinypoms]

Thank you for that link. I did dry the Brandt-Daroff Exercises 2 times and felt a bit dizzy during the day so I stopped them. I also wanted to see an ENT to see if it might be my sinuses. When I lay down I feel pressure between my eyes. I will try the at home Epley though. The video doesn't say how many times to do it. Do you do it only once? I know I had to do the Brandt-Daroff a few times.

Joanie

[nopain]

The chances of you having BPPV are not that great. But it can't hurt to try.

This link should be more helpful.

http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/d...bppv/bppv.html

You still want to keep your appointment for sure. Make sure you note positions which cause your symptoms so you can tell your Doctor. I have a really tough time with this because once I realize I'm having vertigo it's all I can do to just get in some position to make it stop, let alone remember what exact position I was in when it started. I tend to get it in the middle of the night. I'll have night sweats and try to get up and can't. Weird feeling. I can only assume it's because of some strange position I get my neck in when I'm sleeping. I stopped using pillows because I can't keep my head on them and I just end up feeling worse when I do.

About 2/3rds the way down on the link in this post you'll find this information:

HOME EPLEY MANEUVER

The Epley and/or Semont maneuvers as described above can be done at home (Radke et al, 1999; Furman and Hain, 2004). We often recommend the home-Epley to our patients who have a clear diagnosis. This procedure seems to be even more effective than the in-office procedure, perhaps because it is repeated every night for a week.

The method (for the left side) is performed as shown on the figure to the right. One stays in each of the supine (lying down) positions for 30 seconds, and in the sitting upright position (top) for 1 minute. Thus, once cycle takes 2 1/2 minutes. Typically 3 cycles are performed just prior to going to sleep. It is best to do them at night rather than in the morning or midday, as if one becomes dizzy following the exercises, then it can resolve while one is sleeping. The mirror image of this procedure is used for the right ear.

There are several problems with the "do it yourself" method. If the diagnosis of BPPV has not been confirmed, one may be attempting to treat another condition (such as a brain tumor or stroke) with positional exercises -- this is unlikely to be successful and may delay proper treatment. A second problem is that the home-Epley requires knowledge of the "bad" side. Sometimes this can be tricky to establish. Complications such as conversion to another canal (see below) can occur during the Epley maneuver, which are better handled in a doctor's office than at home. Finally, occasionally during the Epley maneuver neurological symptoms are provoked due to compression of the vertebral arteries. In our opinion, it is safer to have the first Epley performed in a doctors office where appropriate action can be taken in this eventuality.

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's interesting to see other Cervical Problems related to Vertigo. It's one of those symptoms that occurs but is not nearly as common as our friend pain. It's nice when you get to experience both - NOT.

Please let us know what the ENT comes up with for your diagnosis. I really do hope it's something like a simple ear infection. The cure rates for that is really high and doesn't take that long.

[tinypoms]

I know actually how mine starts and stops. I have to be in bed for about an hour or so and if I turn my head to the side, either way, mostly to the left, the room spins. If I just keep it there it stops in about 5 seconds.

I am hoping it is an infection or BPPV as anything else just scares me.

I do appreciate all the information that you are giving me.

Joanie

[tinypoms]

All of a sudden the vertigo stopped Saturday night. I have an appointment with the ENT on Thursday. Should I cancel it? Do you think I got it from laying on my back in bed for a month? It started a couple of days after I started laying on my side. I don't want to go to the doctor is all he will do is take my money. Do you know if he can determine how I got it and if it will come back? Can he do the Epley Manuever on me if I don't have the vertigo anymore?

Joanie