OK, so here's the deal. I'll try to explain it briefly, and Kate, if you're out there, you can correct me in the comments if I mess up! Basically, you have these 'crystals' that should live in the part of the ear above labeled "cochlea." Sometimes, for various reasons, a crystal or two escapes, and meanders its away into one of the canals pictured above. When a crystal is out of place, sometimes moving your head into a given position will cause the crystal to stimulate your inner ear to think that you are moving within your environment, when you actually aren't. The idea behind vestibular rehab is to coax that errant crystal back to where it belongs. Unfortunately, the process triggers the vertigo (and some serious nystagmus!), and it can be kind of uncomfortable. Well, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had read! Basically this saintly person we shall call ....George, ha ha! put me/my head into four different positions, and it DID trigger some serious vertigo and some really weird-feeling nystagmus for me... but it fixed it, so far anyway. "George" put me into those same positions a second time, several minutes later, and I had basically zero response. So, the outlook is good! I go back Wednesday just to be sure that everything is still 'in place,' and that I didn't have more than one 'crystal' out of place. And in the meantime, I just have to try to keep my head level (as if balancing a book) for the rest of today. Woo hoo, wish me luck!
3 comments:
Wayward ear crystals?! Who knew.
I've only had vertigo one time, and it was in the middle of the night while pregnant with my first. Totally freaked me out. Good luck with the ear crystal rehab, and be well...
So weird, that's when it started with me, in the middle of the night. I saw the midwife today and she said she had a patient once who needed this 'rehab' therapy throughout her whole pregnancy. :( Let's hope that's not me. (Is this a side effect of pregnancy, vertigo?)
I broke the "keep your head level" rule in order to lay back and hear the baby's heartbeat, and it DEFINITELY triggered the vertigo again. I am very, very sad... and hope it goes away pronto! Otherwise I am going to be miserable until Wednesday!
Oh Beth, I have never heard of this. I am quite intrigued by it? Sorry you have to be a guinea pig for me to learn more! I hope it goes away and you aren't miserable until Wed.
I am glad you got to hear the baby's heartbeat, though. How are you feeling? I am still tired, but the nausea is gone. Heartburn has taken its place...but I knew it would. Hope you are able to get rid of this vertigo for good soon!
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