Self-treatment of a positioning vertigo

Drug treatment attempts, chirotherapeutic measures on the cervical spine and acupuncture have proven to be essentially ineffective in the diagnosis of benign positioning vertigo. Aggravation or even chronification can occur if the affected person automatically avoids any movement causing dizziness. The self-treatment options (positioning exercises or release maneuvers) result from the mechanism of the development of benign positioning vertigo.

Two (Eplay- and Semont maneuvers, both maneuvers are suitable for treating disorders of the posterior arcade) of three known positioning maneuvers in treatment promise high efficacy with good therapeutic success. The majority of those affected can be helped with only a few treatments (1-7), especially if an additional self-exercise program (self-treatment = triple the chances of recovery) is carried out regularly. Before performing the positioning maneuvers, the affected ear must be diagnosed.

The performance of the self-exercise program (self-treatment) should be regularly demonstrated and checked by the physiotherapist or doctor. The chances of recovery are stated in the various studies to be between 60 and 90%. The aim of the Eplay maneuver is to flush the small salt crystals out of the rear archway again.

Important Before the patient is to perform the positioning maneuver, it is essential to be informed about any dizziness that may occur during the exercise and to have a practical demonstration by the physiotherapist. Starting position: itz with legs stretched out on a bench or bed, head turned towards the affected side of the ears Exercise performance While maintaining the head position, the patient can quickly fall onto his back. The shoulders lie on a pillow so that the head is slightly overstretched.

wait approx. 20-30 sec. While lying down, she/he first turns the head to the opposite side, then turns the entire body to the side.

wait approx. 20-30 sec. When the dizziness is over, he/she will straighten up again to sit on the other side.

The correct retention of the head position is crucial for the effectiveness of the exercise. This sequence of movements should be performed 3 times in a row and 3 times daily in self-treatment. This can cause the well-known positioning vertigo.

After the exercise sequences, the patient should not sleep flat for the next 48 hours, but with the upper body raised, so that the salt crystals do not slip back into the archway. If there is no dizziness or nystagmus for 24 hours, either during practice or in everyday life, stop the exercises. You can find another description of the exercises here.

If performing the Epley maneuver does not lead to the desired therapeutic success, the similar Semont maneuver can be attempted. The aim of the Semont maneuver is also to flush the small salt crystals out of the posterior arcade by a counter-directional movement, as in the Eplay maneuver. Before the patient is to perform the positioning maneuver, it is useful to be informed about any dizziness that may occur during the exercise and to have the physiotherapist demonstrate it in practice.

Starting position Sit up in the middle of a bench, a couch or a bed, the head is turned by approx. 45° to the healthy side. ), thereby provoking dizziness and nystagmus.

– Wait for approx. 3 minutes- After the dizziness has subsided, the patient should turn over to the other side of the body while maintaining the head position (head turned to the healthy side). (non-affected side, face down) Wait for dizziness and nystagmus to subside, and after the symptoms have disappeared – approx. 3 minutes – the patient can sit down again slowly while maintaining the head position.