Recently I successfully treated myself for BPPV for the sixth time in my life and I also had a false alarm during an earthquake that seemed very similar. I want to share my experience with you because I often hear similar stories from my patients.

 

Living in California, it is sometimes hard to tell if I am experiencing vertigo or if we are having an earthquake.

 

I rolled over in bed the other day around 1am and felt like the whole bed was moving. 

My thoughts went something like this:

“If that was BPPV, I will fix myself in the morning when I wake up.

If I have a migraine, I will deal with it in the morning.

If my neck is out of alignment, I will call my physical therapist when I wake up.

No stress, relax and breathe.”

 

Then I fell back asleep. When I woke up in the morning, I was feeling fine so I forgot all about it.

 

That was my first clue that it was not BPPV, a migraine or upper cervical vertigo.

 

Later that day, in talking with some friends I learned that we had an earthquake that morning at 1am.

 

Years ago, I remember feeling similar sensations of vertigo during another major earthquake that we experienced on an Easter Sunday.

 

I recall feeling surprised when I heard my friends and family discussing the earthquake because I had just assumed I was having vertigo!

 

 

As a California resident who frequently experiences bouts of vertigo from multiple causes, I have realized that it is a good practice to ask my friends and neighbors, “Did we just have an earthquake?”

 

And I think to myself, “Or am I having vertigo again?”

 

Either way, I relax and breathe, knowing that I can handle it.

 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

-Philippians 4:13 NKJV