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What Do Dizziness And Imbalance Indicate?
Question: My wife feels dizzy, loss of balance and she feels it worst when she lies down on the left side, when she is lying down on the other side no problem. She has no pain or sounds on the ears and she has nausea. No stomach problems or diarrea.
Brief Answer:
may be benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
She may have BPPV ( benign paroxysmal positional vertigo).
Benign- not serious in terms of consequences though can cause a lot of discomfort.
Paroxysmal- comes and goes- it can last seconds to minutes at a time
Positional - occurs or worsens with certain positions of the head
Vertigo- dizziness, spinning sensation
This is one of the more common causes of dizziness, vertigo but the only one that varies with position, like you are describing (worse on the left side).
To determine if this condition is present, she would need to be assessed by her doctor.
If it is confirmed, then there is a particular maneuver called the EPLEY maneuver that is done for treatment.
Since the dramamine is not helping, she may need to try meds such as anti vert, valium, promethazine. All of these are used for a short time to treat these symptoms.
They are not used for a long time because they prevent the body from ' healing itself'
Her doctor should be able to diagnose and treat her but if it is difficult, then she can see an ENT doctor or neurologist.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
may be benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
She may have BPPV ( benign paroxysmal positional vertigo).
Benign- not serious in terms of consequences though can cause a lot of discomfort.
Paroxysmal- comes and goes- it can last seconds to minutes at a time
Positional - occurs or worsens with certain positions of the head
Vertigo- dizziness, spinning sensation
This is one of the more common causes of dizziness, vertigo but the only one that varies with position, like you are describing (worse on the left side).
To determine if this condition is present, she would need to be assessed by her doctor.
If it is confirmed, then there is a particular maneuver called the EPLEY maneuver that is done for treatment.
Since the dramamine is not helping, she may need to try meds such as anti vert, valium, promethazine. All of these are used for a short time to treat these symptoms.
They are not used for a long time because they prevent the body from ' healing itself'
Her doctor should be able to diagnose and treat her but if it is difficult, then she can see an ENT doctor or neurologist.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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