Vertigo can recur at any time, either during activity or even at rest. Therefore, it is important to know how to treat vertigo independently, so that the vertigo symptoms you experience can immediately subside and you can resume activities.
Vertigo can appear suddenly and occur only occasionally, but it can also recur frequently. In addition to causing sensations of dizziness and nausea, vertigo can also cause nystagmus or uncontrolled eye movements.
The causes of vertigo can vary, for example, abnormalities in the body's balance regulating system in the inner ear (peripheral vertigo) or disorders of the cerebellum which functions to regulate body coordination (central vertigo).
In certain cases, vertigo can also appear due to certain diseases, such as: Beningn Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, stroke, and acoustic neuroma.
Mild vertigo that occurs occasionally can generally be treated with several independent vertigo treatment steps at home. However, if vertigo often recurs or is caused by certain diseases, immediate treatment is needed by a doctor.
Various Ways to Handle Vertigo Independently
Relapses of vertigo, especially those that occur suddenly, can make you anxious or even panicky. To overcome the vertigo complaints, there are several ways or tips that can be done, including:
- Try to stay calm.
- Immediately sit and close your eyes, if symptoms of vertigo appear when standing.
- Avoid lying on your side by resting on the side of your head that is experiencing vertigo.
- Sleep with your head slightly elevated or higher.
- Adequate fluid intake by drinking water.
- Use lighting when you wake up at night.
- Try taking herbal vertigo drugs, but the effectiveness of these drugs is not clear and still needs to be investigated further.
To prevent vertigo from recurring, you can also try the following tips:
- Avoid getting up too quickly when you wake up because it can trigger a recurrence of vertigo. Get used to sitting for a while before getting out of bed after waking up.
- Move your head slowly and carefully while on the move.
- Avoid sports that require fast movement, such as basketball and soccer.
- Stop smoking and limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Reduce intake of salt and fatty foods.
- Turn down the volume of the sound or music when using earphones.
Some Exercises to Overcome Vertigo Complaints
When vertigo recurs, try not to panic and immediately sit or lie down, then close your eyes. In addition, you can also perform some of the following movements or maneuvers to treat vertigo symptoms independently at home:
Epley maneuver
The following are the steps for performing the Epley movement or maneuver:
- Take a sitting position in bed and tilt your head up to 45 degrees to the side experiencing vertigo (right or left).
- Position a pillow to support your upper back, so that your head is tilted slightly back when you lie down.
- Move your body carefully to lie on the bed with your head still tilted at 45 degrees. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds until the dizziness subsides.
- While lying down, turn your head 90 degrees in the opposite direction and hold this position for 30–60 seconds until the dizziness subsides.
- While maintaining the head position, position the body facing the tilted side of the head.
- If the dizziness has subsided, you can return to sitting slowly.
In addition to treating vertigo symptoms, the Epley maneuver can also be used to prevent vertigo from recurring.
Half Somersault or Foster Maneuver
You can make moves half somersault with the following steps:
- Get into a kneeling position and stare at the ceiling for a few seconds.
- Bend down until your forehead touches the floor and faces your knees so that it resembles a prostrate position. Hold this position for about 30 seconds.
- Still in the same position, tilt your head 45 degrees to the side experiencing vertigo. For example, if your dizziness turns to the left, turn your head to the left. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Lift your head quickly until it is parallel to your back, while your knees and hands touch the floor. Keep your head at a 45-degree angle for 30 seconds.
- Keep your head up while tilting to the side affected by vertigo and try to stand up slowly.
- If vertigo symptoms are still felt, repeat the movement 15 minutes apart.
If you have trouble following the above movements, you can learn the Epley maneuver or the Foster maneuver through video tutorials on the internet.
Mild vertigo that recurs occasionally may be managed independently at home with some of the tips previously mentioned. However, if your vertigo does not go away or recurs frequently, you should consult a doctor for proper examination and treatment. To treat vertigo, your doctor may give you vertigo medication.