@maximillian
My first experience with vertigo was in 1993 while seated at a conference table, absolutely still. It was followed 20 minutes later by another episode, both quite severe, but both resolved. It was 9 years until I once again had an episode and at that time we had moved back to California and I was on the floor in one of my teaching labs, on my back reaching up and craning my neck to re-wire a temporal bone drill into the microscope station, when it started again. I immediately laid down flat on my back and turned my head in the opposite direction and it abated.
At that point, I sought the assistance of an ENT and got very lucky. Located at Scripps, La Jolla, this physician not only performed the Epley Manuver on me, but then indicated he was going to apply a vibrating device to a spot about 5 cm above the mastoid process behind my left ear. This was done for a bit less than 10 seconds, followed by a rest, then repeated. It served to cause the micro-crystals to rise up within the fluid in which they exist, then "hopefully" settle back down into the proper position. He told me that in driving back to work I was absolutely not to turn my head driving (use mirrors on the car) and to not turn my head at work or driving home for the remainer of the day. The vertigo passed with that treatment.
Since then about once every 12-18 months vertigo strikes, so I would return to him and have successful vibratory therapy every time. Then we moved to another state and I sadly lost this wonderful ENT.
My new ENT said, "Oh, yes, I can do that vibration therapy, follow me!" After which, we take a very short walk down a hall and into a dark room. There before me is a chair that looks like an old fashioned dentist's chair. Ick! He tells me to sit in it, so I do. Then he proceeds to place a bowl, it's a bowl the size of a child's cereal bowl, on the left side of my entire head. He flips a switch and my entire head starts shaking. But wait, he isn't done! This darn bown travels all the way around the back of my head over to the right, all the while my head is shaking like crazy. I finally told him to stop, as I thought this the most ridiculous this ever - like some Victorian contraption. And, indeed that's what it turned out to be.
Laster that day, I came to realize my vertigo was worse. I had vertigo in positions I never had before. Called his office the next day. He writes a scrip for me to go to "vestibular therapy," so I go.
This 20-something physical therapist places me on a table, puts humongous goggles over my eyes and turns on a screen. She does a slo-mo Epley on me, while looking at images of my eye movements while doing this. The eye movements are supposed to be indicative of what is going on with one's vertigo, except she kept saying things like, " Hmmm, I don't quite understand this," and "....where is..." and "...your eye aren't..." Finally I asked her what the problem was and she said my eyes weren't reacting like they should. So I suggest we stop and come back to it at my next appointment. She was clearly stumped.
So, I get home from this "vestibular therapy" appointment to then realize that my vertigo is even worse - way worse - and again had NEW sources of positional vertigo - than it was after I saw my ENT, so now I am furious. Who ARE these people, anyway, I keep asking myself? They have no idea what they're doing and they're practicing on me. ( I come from a backround in clinical research and surgical training.)
Note to self: Get an Alaska Airline ticket on sale and fly to San Diego to see Dr. M. at Scripps.
My vertigo is now clear. Next time I have vertigo, I get on a plane and go to Dr. M. at Scripps in La Jolla for sure.
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