Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

You can reduce the whirling or spinning sensation of vertigo when you have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by taking these steps:

• Use two or more pillows at night.
• Avoid sleeping on your side with the ear causing the problem facing down.
• Get up slowly in the morning and sit on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing.
• Avoid leaning over to pick things up or tipping your head far back to look up.
• Be careful about reclining, such as when you are in the dentist's chair or having your hair washed at a hair salon.
• Be careful about participating in sports that require you to turn your head, lean over, or lie flat on your back.

You can also help yourself by doing balance exercises and taking safety precautions.

Taking safety precautions for vertigo, such as adding grab bars near the bathtub and toilet and keeping walking paths clear, may prevent accidents and injuries.

Balance exercises for vertigo, such as standing with your feet together, arms down, and slowly moving your head from side to side, may help you maintain your balance and improve symptoms of vertigo.

If your health professional treated you with a Semont or Epley maneuver, you may be instructed to restrict your head movement for about a day. Do this by sleeping with your head propped up, not sleeping on the affected side, and not tipping your head too far up or down.

If your health professional has you try the Brandt-Daroff exercise to help your brain adjust, you will need to do the exercises at home several times a day, possibly for weeks. The exercises will allow your brain to get used to the abnormal balance signals triggered by the particles in the inner ear.

Staying as active as possible usually helps the brain adjust more quickly. But that can be hard to do when moving is what causes your vertigo. Bed rest may help, but it usually increases the time it takes for the brain to adjust.

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Last updated:	January 29, 2007
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman