Blog
Vestibular Decompensation: An Unrecognized Cause of Vertigo
If a person is immobile for even a few days - without head motion, such as during bedrest from a flu, surgery, hospital stay, depressive episode, etc, then they can experience "vestibular decompensation.” This phenomenon occurs when a person with a vestibular...
Can Medication Increase The Risk of Falling?
Did you know that even taking just one medication can increase the risk of falling? How do you ask? In this article, I will discuss some reasons why taking medication for your vertigo can increase your risk of falling. Medication Side Effects Some medications can also...
The Gut and Vertigo
Did you know that there can be a correlation between dizzy spells and eating? Turns out that the gut and vertigo go hand in hand! There are a few ways that digestion, or your gut, can affect symptoms of dizziness and vertigo. Dizzy spells correlated with eating can be...
Vestibular Rehabilitation: A Specialty
Why Vestibular Rehabilitation? Traditional (general) physical therapy will not be very effective for people who need vestibular rehab. Vestibular Rehabilitation is a sub-specialty within the physical therapy profession. Vestibular physical therapy, also called...
Vestibular Neuritis Recovery Tips
Vestibular neuritis is typically a very memorable event in someone’s life with unrelenting horrible vertigo lasting for 2-3 days, possibly requiring emergency care. Once the acute vestibular neuritis event clears up (with or without the use of medications), people...
Traveling with Vertigo and Dizziness: Helpful Strategies
I recently traveled to visit my family in the other part of the USA while I was suffering with dizziness and vertigo. While I was traveling with vertigo, I started making notes on the strategies that I came up with to minimize my discomfort and "get through it." I...
Footwear to Reduce Falling
All can fall! People of any age can fall, especially if they have dizziness or vertigo. Proper footwear is important to prevent falls. Today I am going to answer a question that I frequently hear from my patients, which is: "Is there a type of footwear to reduce...
What Causes Dizziness in the Body?
What Causes Dizziness? Root Cause Evaluation is Key Often times, dizziness can have more than one cause. This blog discusses what causes dizziness, specifically in the head and neck area. The Inner Ear The first thing I do when I evaluate people for vertigo or...
Medication for Dizziness: A Discussion with Dr. Kim Bell, DPT
I still find it shocking that most of the medications for dizziness actually causes dizziness as a side effect! Different medications are prescribed for dizziness and vertigo. The benefits of medication for dizziness are to reduce the symptoms, to allow the person to...
FAQ: Can Exercise Reduce my Risk of Falling?
Exercise is shown to reduce the risk of falling, especially for older adults. Learn how to get started with the tips in this blog.
BPPV Treatment: How Does It Work?
How does BPPV treatment work? Many people are curious as to how BPPV treatment works. The goal of BPPV treatment is like winning a biological pinball game. In handheld pinball games, the player has to tip the game side to side and also tip it in certain other...
Learning to Live with Vertigo
Are you Learning to Live with Vertigo? Many people who have unresolved BPPV for many years, sometimes 20, 30, or 40 years, tend not to complain of dizziness or vertigo when I interview them. This is because these individuals have learned how to change their movement...
BPPV Crystals Cause Dizziness, Falls and Cognitive Problems
BPPV crystals (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo crystals) cause dizziness, vertigo, falls and mild cognitive problems. Many people with BPPV crystals do not even know it! Unfortunately, it often goes undetected by healthcare providers as well, leading to...
Does Alcohol Cause Vertigo and Dizziness?
One thing I see often, especially in older adults, is that when people lose their spouse or have some kind of tragedy in their life, they may begin to turn to drinking alcohol for relief from the feelings that they are experiencing. The consumption of alcohol may be...
Assistive Devices To Stop Falls
Assistive Devices to Stop Falls My grandfather, Bill, is an important figure in my life. He is an electrical engineer who had a very successful career, but he didn’t know anything about fall prevention when he retired. In my observation, that is pretty typical for a...
Root Cause Evaluation – Why It Is Important
Root Cause Evaluation is the Missing Component Many people come to me and say that they have been diagnosed with vertigo. Vertigo is a symptom of something else or a cluster of other things that are going on, but vertigo is not in itself the root of the problem. It is...
Dizziness and Mental Health Issues
Dizziness and Mental Health: What is the Relationship? Today we are going to discuss the interplay of dizziness and mental health. I frequently hear this question from my patients, their concerned friends or their family members: "Does everyone who is suffering with...
Falls: The Hidden Costs
Cost of Falls In the USA, one out of four people over 65 years old report falling every year. Of those, about 50% will fall again within six months. About 20-30% of older people who fall will incur moderate to severe injuries. Many people sustain fractures and require...
Fear of Falling Causes More Falls
Fear of Falling Fear of falling is the most common fear reported in older adults and it causes changes in behavior, as well as four predictable changes in walking pattern. Many people who fall or feel off balance develop the fear of falling. Some people may develop a...
What is The Bell Method?
Do you know someone with dizziness or vertigo who feels discouraged about the possibility of a full recovery or a better life? Or feels misunderstood or disregarded by their healthcare providers? Maybe it's you? If so, you may benefit from The Bell Method. Do know of...
The Benefits of Music to Support Vestibular Health
I have found music therapy improves vestibular health and I feel better emotionally. While playing music, I move my head around which keeps my vestibular system tuned up!
Dizziness in Exercise Class | What To Do
Have you ever experienced dizziness in exercise class when you lied down, rolled over, turned your head quickly or stood up quickly? Or maybe you have seen someone else in your class complain of dizziness during the class? Did you feel like your instructor knew what to say or do?
Should You Treat Yourself for BPPV? Understanding your Ear Crystals
In a case of BPPV, a person can have misplaced ear crystals floating in any of one or combination of their 6 inner ear canals.
BPPV Prevention: Is it Possible?
BPPV Prevention: A research study found that people with low Vitamin D had a higher frequency of BPPV recurrence.
Laugh with Me for the Health Benefits
I love to laugh and it is definitely more fun if you laugh with me! Laughter has many researched health benefits.
Medication for Vertigo: What To Know
The research in Vestibular care supports the use of medication for vertigo, such as meclizine, for the first 48 hours of a new onset of vertigo. This medication for vertigo is helpful to bring relief and minimize discomfort for an acute case, or a new case.
Gratitude Journal
One of the strategies Dr. Bell uses to keep her mood uplifted through the darker time of the year is a Gratitude Journal.
My Healing Journey
On my own healing journey, I found a root cause analysis approach very useful to improve my sense of well-being and increase my overall joy, enthusiasm and passion for life.
The Health Benefits of Nature
Have you found that when you spend time in nature you feel refreshed and a renewed sense of well-being? Dr. Bell shares her thoughts on the health benefits of nature.
Is your Diet causing Vestibular Problems to become Worse?
Dr. Bell’s diet is causing vestibular problems because she has not been focused on taking care of herself. She has reverted to the common, busy American lifestyle on-the-go and she is feeling it!
Physical Therapy Practice Focused on Dizziness and Vertigo
The Bell Method was created by a perfect intersection of my own personal health struggles as a lifelong vestibular patient falling through the cracks of the healthcare system for about 25 years, and my professional career observing how many undiagnosed vestibular patients are suffering like I have with the social, financial and psychological impact of being mismanaged and misguided.
BPPV Vertigo Can Affect Anyone at Anytime!
BPPV Vertigo can affect anyone at anytime, quickly changing from irrelevant to emergency. This blog shares two recent news stories about world famous people with BPPV.
Repeated Falls: What To Do About Them | BetterBalanceInLife.com
I recommend for anyone who is experiencing unexplained repeated falls to get checked out by an expert in fall prevention.
Three Simple Exercises to Reduce the Risk of Falling
In this blog, I share three simple exercises that you can do at home to reduce your risk of falling. You can also coach your elderly loved ones to do these exercises.
What Works in Fall Prevention?
Through normal aging, muscles lose strength and quickness, and unconscious balance reactions slow down. The normal loss of muscle is significant enough to cause fear of falling and reduced quality of life, regardless of mobility level. However, there is one effective...
Reduce Fall Risk
The truth is that our community is in a public health crisis due to the falls in older adults and their devastating consequences. In the US according to CDC.GOV, every 12 seconds an older adult is seen at an emergency room for a fall-related injury and every 20 minutes an older adult dies from a fall. This blog shares strategies to reduce fall risk.
UCSD Stein Public Lecture: “Dizziness and Vertigo, Part II – Research in Aging”
My mission is to rescue mis-diagnosed and mis-managed patients suffering with dizziness and vertigo. So if you or someone you love are suffering with dizziness or vertigo, I hope you can set aside 75 minutes to check out my 2018 UCSD Stein Public Lecture, “Dizziness and Vertigo, Part II – Research in Aging.”
Dizziness and Vertigo can Cause Burns
Dizziness and vertigo can cause burns. I share my personal story of suffering a first degree burn on my hand, and the story of a patient who suffered severe burns due to dizziness and vertigo.
How can I Safely Move around with Vertigo?
The best way to safely move around with vertigo really depends on your individual case of vertigo, the severity of your symptoms, your other medical conditions and the general strength of your abdominals, back, and leg muscles.
Should I Move around with Vertigo?
People with vertigo often wonder if they should move around with vertigo or sit still. It depends on the root cause of your vertigo symptoms. In this blog, I discuss considerations in moving around with vertigo for three specific root causes.
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