TILT!

When I was a child, I loved spinning and then stopping to feel the dizziness. I loved rolling down grassy slopes. I loved merry-go-rounds. I really enjoyed the feeling of being a bit off-kilter.

Now let's spin forward to my forties and fifties. I would occasionally get vertigo and I still enjoyed the feeling of dizziness. I would hold onto something and move my head just to enjoy that feeling. I remember once when I was at school and vertigo came on. It was near time to head home and I was laughing and tipping my head while I held onto a colleagues wall. He wasn't amused and wanted to drive me home. Oh no! If I hold my head still, I'm fine. And drove home safely.

Now I am 70. Trust me, it doesn't feel as old as it sounds. But I woke in the night with vertigo. Still there in the morning. Walking through the bedroom was an exciting...no, it was disturbing...no no, it was a bit unsettling! Yeah, that's it. It was a bit unsettling. I needed to hold onto the dresser and then the wall and then the doorway, touching the wall all the way to the shower. As I showered, I needed to hold my elbow against the shower wall. I have to admit, it was a little bit fun, but balance is always an issue as I am aging, so not as fun as rolling down a grassy slope.

Okay while I'm having a bit of fun with myself during my ancient years, I understand that some people suffer a great deal from vertigo. The spinning causes vomiting, headaches, disables them severely. I'm not making light of those who suffer greatly. I know that I am fortunate that this isn't me. Living Magazine describes the feeling well:

Imagine opening your eyes and the room appearing to be whirling around you like a tornado. Turning your head ever so slightly sends your world spinning, and even when lying still, there’s a moving sensation. Standing up and trying to walk sends you lurching to and fro as you attempt to maintain your balance. You feel nauseous, like you have motion sickness or the flu.

So, what is causing this? According to WebMed, "Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem."  There are a few common types of inner ear problems. There could be a build up of tiny calcium particles (canaliths) that clump up in your ear canals. It can occur for no known reason and it is thought it may be associated with age.  Yay.

There can be a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Or, also more common, it can be an inner ear problem usually related to infection (usually viral). And then there's the less common reasons, like head injuries, stroke, migraines, medications. 

Sooooo, how do we tend to it? I mean if you are not like me and don't like this "tiltilating" experience, what do you do? That depends. In general, it usually goes away all by itself. This is because your brain is able to adapt, at least in part, to the inner ear changes, relying on other mechanisms to maintain balance. There is physical therapy that can help adjust. There are medications that can help. It all just depends.

 

 

Meanwhile, I am going to attempt walking downstairs to have some breakfast. See ya down below...

 

And so it goes
peace~~~