I had an opportunity to work with a patient who traveled from the Northwest United States to San Diego to consult with me privately on his case of vertigo memory problems.
His Vertigo Memory Problems
According to his wife, he was also experiencing memory problems which started at exact the same time.
He had been experiencing vertigo for over nine months, and had not been able to exercise or drive during that time.
He had seen multiple doctors and a physical therapist in his area who specialized in Vestibular Rehabilitation, but had not experienced any relief from his symptoms.
So he decided to make the trip to consult with me for another opinion with high hopes for relief from his vertigo memory problems.
While we were reviewing his medical history and current symptoms to see if they had anything to do with vertical memory problems, he said, “Well my wife tells me that I am forgetting things and having memory problems that seem to have started after I woke up at 3am with the vertigo, but I am assuming that this is what it feels like to get old. My father had Alzheimer’s disease so I am worried that may be what is happening to me.”
I said, “Well, let’s see if your brain still feels foggy after we treat your vertigo symptoms because BPPV can cause impairments in short term memory and concentration. It is often mistaken for mild cognitive impairment or the beginning of dementia in people over 65 years old.”
After I completed my comprehensive, detailed, hands-on Root Cause Evaluation and Initial Treatment, I was able to determine that BPPV was the root cause of his vertigo symptoms and treat it.
His presentation was unusual, so I was not surprised that it was missed by so many other providers – even Vestibular Specialists.
His Outcome
I contacted him the next day to see how he was feeling.
He said, “I feel great! Not dizzy, not foggy and I am speed-walking down the hall turning my head left and right for exercise like you showed me. I don’t need any further visits.”
I was overjoyed that in just one single visit, his vertigo memory problems had cleared up completely!
When I called him a week later to follow up, he told me “My wife says I am back! We had dinner with friends and I was able to keep up with the conversation. I am remembering things and getting back into my normal routine now that my head is clear and my case of vertigo is cured.”
We laughed together on the phone about how easy it was to fix his problem and I reminded him of the chance of recurrence of BPPV, along with the signs and symptoms of BPPV recurrence. He agreed to contact me right away if he experienced vertigo again, so his life was not so disrupted.
I will share with you exactly what I said to help him identify a recurrence of BPPV in my next blog post.
Disclaimer
This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The content and any comments by Dr. Kim Bell, DPT are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The details of any case mentioned in this post represent a typical patient that Dr. Bell might see and do not describe the circumstances of a specific individual.
I want to know about vertigo…from previous 3-4 years I’m experiencing spinning motion,so I searched for also visited to opthalmologist but they did not diagnose…when I feel vertigo attack just before this attack there’s a sound feeling in.my ear
.then if after hearing that sound,I pressed my ear tightly then vertigo attack will be prevented..if I ignored that sound then vertigo attack will be there?? What should I do..plz tell me…and I’m experiencing current information I’m collecting just before vertigo attack…specifically studies related…plz cure my vertigo..
Hi Shut,
I am sorry to hear what you are going through!
In order to have a proper root cause evaluation, I suggest that you track your symptoms as I describe in this blog.
You can find a provider using the online directories I offer in this blog.
I wish you all the best for a full recovery!
Sincerely,
Kim Bell, DPT
Hi my name is Jalisa and I’ve been crying nonstop I’ve been going through this vertigo and sometimes it’s seems that it effects my concentration and memory and I’m so tired of living like this and I was wondering could u help me
Hi Jalisa,
I’m sorry to hear what you are going through!
I have a few blogs that might be helpful to you on both VertigoDetective.com and BetterBalanceInLife.com.
You can search key terms and find related content on both of those websites, or use the “blog categories.”
Specifically, this blog may help you find a provider in your area:
How to Find a Vertigo Doctor
Vertigo Home Remedies that Help
How to Track and Report symptoms
I have a lot of content on this page in the format of TV shows, podcasts, and webinars.
If you ever decide you want to travel to San Diego for a week or if you live in the San Diego area, I would be happy to work with you. You can learn more about my services at BetterBalanceInLife.com.
I hope the resources I have provided are helpful! Some people need mental health support for a full recovery so I encourage you to discuss your crying episodes with your doctor or vestibular healthcare provider.
I wish you all the best for a full recovery.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kim Bell, DPT
I’ve been diagnosed with vertigo for more than 2 months but it doesn’t seem to be getting better. The doctor gave me antihistamines to use such as meclizine, Fluticasone Propionate, citrizine. Can you help me?
Hi MLS,
This blog may help you find a Vestibular provider in your area.
The key is to determine the root cause so your treatment can be specific to the cause.
Best wishes,
Dr. Kim Bell, DPT
What is BPPV?
Hi,
This article might be a good start to find the answer to your question.
I have many articles on BPPV on this website and my other website.
I hope that helps!
It had recently failed the VNG test as my right ear is off 35%.
I will ask my ENT Doctor if Physical Therapy would help.
I get confusion and memory issues. The Meclizine is helping a lot.
Is there a correlation between those living with BPPV that would later in life go on to develop PPPD and ice pick headaches
Hi Stacey,
I would say certainly someone could have all three of the issues you mentioned. They can co-occur.
In order for the best recovery, it is important to address all of the symptoms with proper care.
You may need a team of specialty providers to cover all angles.
I hope you feel better soon!
Sincerely,
Kim Bell, DPT
Hi, so I have been having the dizziness, nausea, disconnected feeling, eyes not focusing, once in a while the heart rate goes up but when I am done with the vertigo episode, I don’t really remember anything from it or during it. And if, it is only faintly such as a dream. The other really weird thing is that it only happens when I’m off of my allergy medication, like for testing as i supposedto do this week. And my allergies can get pretty bad when I’m off of it. I’m only 14 I honestly don’t know what is wrong with me. It’s kinda scary.