Vertigo and Sailing. Any Experience?

[vonchris7]

Hi,

I was in the ER yesterday and they think I have vertigo. My heart sank...

So, I got to wondering... has anyone out there had vertigo and continued sailing? Is there hope?

Thanks!

[Gadagirl]

No worries. Google eply maneuver on YouTube. Or visit your ENT ( eat,nose, and throat) doctor to teach you the maneuver. I've experienced it once at sea, once on land. Both times had excellent outcomes using Eply.

[Chotu]

I had it.

After many years living aboard and traveling consecutively I developed odd sensations of movement and balance on the boat itself and on land. Everything was always moving and making me dizzy.


I just kind of powered through it and eventually after being on land a couple years it went away.

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

No worries. Google eply maneuver on YouTube. Or visit your ENT ( eat,nose, and throat) doctor to teach you the maneuver. I've experienced it once at sea, once on land. Both times had excellent outcomes using Eply.

It is caused by the movement of small stones in your balance system. These stones move to another position and gives you the impression you are in a kind of "up-side-down" state. It helps to take hold to a fixed item.

With this Eply training you can correct this error and move the stones.

And over time it goes away.


Bram

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

No worries. Google eply maneuver on YouTube. Or visit your ENT ( eat,nose, and throat) doctor to teach you the maneuver. I've experienced it once at sea, once on land. Both times had excellent outcomes using Eply.

Vertigo is a symptom with many causes.

The Epley maneuver is useful for one cause only (BPPV resulting from displacement of otoconia or small "crystals" in the inner ear). It does nothing for vertigo resulting from other causes.

To the OP: They "think" you have vertigo?


You don't need a medical practitioner to tell you whether you have vertigo. You know it. If you have a feeling of spinning dizziness, you have vertigo. If you don't, you don't.

The question they need to answer is what is causing / caused the symptom and how to treat that cause.


And to answer the original question, yes I've had a few incidents of BPPV over the years (generally after cavorting in water) and the Epley maneuver resolved it every time.



I've also had vertigo as one symptom of an inner ear infection. The Epley maneuver was of no use in that situation, but a course of anti-biotics soon fixed it.

[JPA Cate]

We had a friend who had vertigo as a side effect of anti-biotics. It was so bad, he had to crawl off his boat, and even ashore, his balance was uncertain. After a number of years, perhaps in the 10-15 yr. range, he slowly began to improve. And now, he is able to have another cruising boat.

My advice would be to pursue it with the experts, and see what the physical therapists have to say, and then move on, whichever direction your life might go.

"Experts" only know so much. Sometimes you can't find someone who really knows, or maybe nobody does, and you just have to accept it and find your direction.



Ann

[Yellowtulip]

My wife has twice had serious attacks of vertigo. The first time was caused by a virus and the remedy was to wait for it to work itself out (a couple of months).
The second time was as a result of muscular bunching in her neck, perhaps as a result of her car being rear-ended a few years earlier. The remedy was physiotherapy and continuing exercises.
The Epley manoeuvre didn't work in either case.

[jeff356]

My wife suffered for many years from vertigo symptoms prior to starting sailing but did find out she had an issue with aspartame sweetner that caused her "vertigo" and dizziness.
After cutting aspartame out she has not had the vertigo symptoms and has never gotten sea sick on the boat.

Good luck in finding out what truly is causing your issues and resolving them.

Jeff

[letoile]

Yep, have had it on the boat and land...it is disabilitating. What "Gadagirl" posted is right on the mark. Watch the youtube video on the Eply maneuver and memorize it. It really works and I have done it myself twice and was 100% within 10 minutes. My vertigo is usually triggered buy rolling /flipping over quickly in the V berth , thus I now move slowly and gently when turning over. One of the most important aspects on the Eply maneuver is the last step...Don't bend down for at least 24hrs. It doesn't limit any aspect of my life now that I understand it. Good luck.

[Greg Mason]

As others have stated, I have had it. Went to my Dr.s office. Doctors advice is that it would go away on it's own. Did not. After 2 more weeks of drunkiness, I went to a walk in clinic.
The Dr. there gave me the advice to look up the maneuver on the internet. Gone in days. Point is, 2 Dr.s gave me different advice, 1 worked.

[redhead]

I had BPPV last February and had to be hauled off the boat in a gurney, up the dock and ambulance, the whole nine yards. Violent nausea, unable to sit up.
They told me about the Epley maneuver and said it should go away in 2-5 days.

That was 9 months ago.

Although the symptoms have dramatically eased, it still occurs a couple of times a week. The Epley moves just don't touch it. Since I live aboard, I've learned to cope (i.e. it only happens when I pivot to the left - so I don't do that).

The good news is - - - we were out for 3 months this summer and it only happened once! And we were under some extreme conditions, whirlpools, rapids, choppy seas. I can only think that since vertigo involve your inner and middle ear, and so does your balance when underway, maybe the whole thing cancels itself out???? Okay, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

I don't know when the whole thing will stop, if it ever will. Epley didn't work for me after many many tries, and I refuse to go through life medicated.

Ginger helps with the nausea by the way. Good luck, but you may find good news out on the boat!

[tarian]

What is causing your vertigo ?
inner ear issues
virus
medication
low blood pressure
Sinus issues
etc

each has there own solutions to a. get better b, manage , a little more info form your Doctor may help we can not answer this question or give real advice until your know yourself and seek proper medical advice

My vertigo is caused by low blood pressure as I stand up but I manage fine on s sailboat

[knish]

I agree wholdheartedly with StuM - "Vertigo is a symptom with many causes."

My wife had suffered with vertigo for over 10 years going to ENTs, using the the Epely "crystal adjustment" maneuvers, made major alterations in diet (no salt, no caffeine, paleo diet), ... with only temporary successes. It was often debilitating where she would be chair ridden (couldn't lie down) and many times had to be picked up after it suddently hit her when driving.

Her most permanent improvement has been after visiting with a chiropractic neurologist. She had issues with anxiety; often exacerbated by the onset or near onset of vertigo itself. The chiropractic neurologist worked with her on how to better manage anxiety, understanding the influence of gastrointestinal inputs and anxiety on balance (think "fight or flight"), and performed simple eye/brain/muscle "calibrations".

Yeah, I had my doubts also but her transformation has been remarkable. No vertigo problems in months. If she "feels" a bit of it onsetting, she is able to control it sufficiently for it to subside and not have it disturb her day to day activities.

PM me if you want the name of the doctor that helped her in Atlanta.

[skipmac]

Again, StuM has it right. Vertigo is just a symptom that could be caused by any one of dozens of different things. Could be BPPV, but just as likely to be something else. Like saying you have a fever. Could be a mild cold, could be food poisoning or could be sepsis.



A couple of years ago I experience vertigo when sitting up suddenly from laying on my back. First notice it when working on the plumbing under the galley sink. Sat up to get a tool and got really dizzy and slightly nauseous. A neighbor first told me about BPPV, my sister who is a audiologist agreed and recommenced the Epley maneuver. Tried it but no help.



One problem is the maneuver is different depending on which ear and where in the ear canal the calcium crystals are sitting, giving at least six different versions of the maneuver. Found a BPPV specialist and drove two hours to get it accurately diagnosed but after a couple of hours of various tests she concluded I did not have BPPV and did not know what was causing the vertigo.



The good news is that it did not make me susceptible to motion sickness at all and it seems to be going away (very slowly) on it's own.


You can try the basic Epley and as far as I know, it won't cause any harm and IF your problem is BPPV it could help. If not and it gets worse or impacts your boating then see a doctor. I would start with an ENT but be prepared to get a lot of I don't knows in the search for the solution.

[Mlp48]

I went to my Dr. after a day of throwing up 12 times before noon one day and then several more days of walking sideways and on eggshells. I said to the MD, "I want some meds or to borrow your gun to put myself out of the misery". I was very discouraged and it sounds like as much as you are ! The Dr. said, with a chuckle, "The PT therapist next door will very likely fix you up". It took one session, two maneuvers ! I can't say its not scary to have someone grasp your head and shoulders and then seemingly want to toss you "to the mat". However, I AM GOOD NOW.