Is Vertigo Limiting You?

A simple solution gets Allentown man back on his feet

No more dizziness—Dave Rooney’s vertigo began to vanish after his very first treatment, and today he’s fully back to normal. “I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get help,” he says.

Dave Rooney had come to expect the spinning feeling that threatened his balance whenever he got out of his car. The 65-year-old Allentown realtor had to steady himself before taking a step. Having suffered a fall and concussion a few months before, he knew he needed to be cautious.

What Rooney didn’t know is that dizziness and vertigo (the spinning sensation) occur in about half of all people who’ve had even a minor head injury. It’s called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and it can occur right after the accident or months later. BPPV is also common in older people. In many cases, it’s easily treatable with a specialized type of physical therapy (see Finding Balance, below).

BPPV is a type of balance disorder, says neurologist Peter Barbour, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “An organ in your inner ear, called the labyrinth, senses movement, acceleration and deceleration. It interacts with parts of your brain to
maintain your balance and position. This ‘vestibular system,’ as it’s called, is easily disrupted if something goes wrong in the inner ear or elsewhere.”

With BPPV, debris that collects in the inner ear shifts when you move your head, sending false signals to your brain. “The usual symptoms are dizziness or vertigo when you change positions—for example, getting out of bed, rolling over, even tilting back at the hairdresser,” says Barbour’s colleague, physical therapist Jolene Hammer.

Since dizziness and other balance problems have many possible causes, Barbour says, it’s important to see your doctor, especially if you’re prone to falling. If you have severe symptoms like weakness, numbness, slurred speech, double vision, nausea, vomiting or acute vertigo, go to the emergency department. These can be signs of a serious illness such as stroke.

Men at Higher Risk for Fall-Related Death

Falls have become the leading cause of injury deaths for both men and women over age 65. But while women are more likely to suffer fractures or other nonfatal injuries, men are more likely to die from a fall.

“Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, which account for almost half of fatal falls among older adults,” says geriatrician Francis Salerno, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Men may do things that put them at higher risk for falling than women—like climbing on roofs and ladders.”

Many factors can contribute to a fall, including changes in vision or hearing, balance or leg problems, alcohol, medications, and illnesses like Alzheimer’s, heart disease or osteoporosis (which affects 1 in 4 men over the age of 50). Hip fractures and other fall-related injuries can lead to early death or limit the patient’s independence. And even fear of falling can cause people to limit their activities, which often leads to isolation, depression, reduced physical fitness—and a higher chance of falling.

“People who fall once are likely to fall again,” Salerno says. “Talk to your doctor so you can identify problems and reduce your chances of suffering a serious injury.”

Published from Healthy You Magazine May-June 2007

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