Vertigo attacks were the scarriest moments in my life. They started sometime in the mid 1990s and in the course of the next 15 years, I had about 6 to 8, the worst ones being after my return to Ottawa in early 2000, because I was all by myself. When you are alone, the feeling is that of helplessness, and it gives you the scarry thought that the world spinning around you may result in death or a serious injury. Even the slightest rolling movement triggers imbalance, and trying to rise from the bed or floor is even more challenging and frightening. The routine standard treatment of lying at the edge of the bed and performing specific manouevres worked for me but it took 2 or 3 days before the vertigo eventually faded and I became less panick-stricken. During some attacks, I simply lived through the vertigo until it went away on its own. And then, one day, on a very bad day of a positional vertigo attack, I came across a very short video (3:35 minutes) by University of Colarado’s Dr. Carol Foster. Her explanation on what causes vertigo, along with the recommended one to two minute exercise got rid of my problem on the same day. I did the exercise twice within a 15 minute timeframe. I have not had a vertigo attack since 2010. That’s 14 years! I thanked Dr. Foster and asked her if the exercise should be done daily and she answered, “no”; only when the vertigo was active.
Please watch her video below. Some individuals may not be able to perform this simple exercise because they have issues bending or resting their knees on the floor. I strongly suggest you give it your best try, and I think your problem may just VANISH, like magic, as it did for me. Have someone close to you if you feel afraid; call on a friend or your neighbour to encourage you if you don’t have a family member around. If my vertigo returns, I will perform the magical movements once again! NOTE: You do this exercise only when you experience the vertigo, and not when you are symptom free!
Dr. Foster was also featured on a CBS program aired in Colorado following the publication of her book Overcoming Positional Vertigo. However, I would first take the time to watch her YouTube presentation. Thank you Dr. Carol Foster for your incredible work! Please share the video with others experiencing vertigo.
Date posted: January 26, 2024.
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