Got a handle on my Vertigo.

[Tony Drago]

 Haven't flown in about 5+ years do to Vertigo/Motion sickness. Finally had enough of it getting worse and wanted to get back to flying.Asked the doctor for some help. She sent me to physical therapy.
  With the warning that it is going to get a lot worse before the symptoms go away.  Was she right... Three months three times a week, plus exercises to do at home. ( Home work) I won't get into the first 3 weeks. Use your imagination..
 They had one of those gyros in the corner. I inquired about it and was told that they would use it to get to the netty gritty if the therapy did not help. Needless i said no freaking way. It was the first time i really got into doing my home work. All's good now.
 On a happier  note will be moving up the the Pacific Northwest, North of Seattle in Nov.
   Can anyone give me some info/contacts on the U/C in the area.
  
  

[RknRusty]

Good for you, Tony. I'm a walking testament to the benefits of patience and homework. That's where it all happens, and after you finally start seeing and feeling the benefits, it gives you a real sense of accomplishment. Sure is hard to get into a routine and make it a habit, but damned if it ain't worth it.

Rehab Rusty

[Russell Shaffer]

Tony, go to www.flyinglines.org  and look around.  It is the online newsletter for the Pacific Northwest CL crowd. 

[Brett Buck]

Haven't flown in about 5+ years do to Vertigo/Motion sickness. Finally had enough of it getting worse and wanted to get back to flying.Asked the doctor for some help. She sent me to physical therapy.
  With the warning that it is going to get a lot worse before the symptoms go away.  Was she right... Three months three times a week, plus exercises to do at home. ( Home work) I won't get into the first 3 weeks. Use your imagination..

  I had mild vertigo in 2014 and 2015, and it was particularly bad around the time of the 2015 NATs. I am not susceptible to motion sickness but I sure had the mismatch between the "gyros" and visual input. At the 2015 NATs, every single time I went through the intersection of the vertical 8, like clockwork, I got that feeling of disorientation. I was amazed at how well my visual system overrode the head motion sensing, but it was really something.

   It started for no known reason, and it very slowly went away as well.

     Brett

[Don Jenkins]

Glad your doing well and welcome back!  Perhaps you want to build this one next?

Don

[peabody]

Good for you Tony!

When I moved to Florida, I noticed something resembling vertigo when I was flying.......seemed okay riding the motorbike, but became a bit disoriented while spinning around....
That, combined with some lingering effects of GBS, had me concerned.....I mentioned it to a VA MD, who scheduled an inner ear test ....
That MD said that I seemed normal (!!!), but that I might be experiencing allergies and suggested that I take a Xertec (sp) in the morning and an allerest in the evening....sure enough, things got better.....not 100%, but I'm old.

Best advice is to see a doctor....

Have fun!

[Tony Drago]

 My problem was my inner ear. The way they put it the crystals in my inner ear were out of wack. The doctor said medication was an option.
 But the down side of the med's is one  would be like a Zombie on Valium.
 I flew a Primary Force on 52 foot lines with a Fox 35. Got through the flight. 60 foot lines would be perfect.
 Thanks to all on the info, On building the Vertigo, I like that.  

[Fredvon4]

A few years back I had a bad MC accident that rang my head bone real good

For weeks later I had very bad vertigo that nauseated me just standing up out of my chair

I had a neurology appointment and the doc prescribed a set of exercises for my home PT gal to make me do
Basically he said the fluids in the inner ear got jumbled and were not properly distributed and it is typical of any fall or other sharp blow to the head bone

The therapy is easy but takes time:

Lay on flat surface (bed) where you can put head back like looking up
First 5 min with with head back as described
Second five min is with head turned all the way left or right
Third five min is back to center
Fourth five min is opposite of left or right in the second step
fifth is back to center for five min

Repeat several times a day.... fluids will get re oriented in two to three days

The other hint the neurologist gave me was: clear open Eustation tubes are necessary all the time...if you are clogged from flu, cold, or allergy you will be more prone to vertigo... Claritin, Benedryl etc are good at opening up the tubes

He specifically discouraged Anti Motion sickness pills as for us older gents thee is a risk of complication with some of the typical drugs we take

The other hint was to stay well, or slightly, OVER hydrated....Inner ear fluids as all other body fluids get fairly viscous (thick) when we are dehydrated...thinner fluid flows better he said

Any way this therapy worked a trick for me

[Jim Mynes]

Fred's got it right. Get on YouTube and search for "Epley Maneuver"

I've seen three people cured of vertigo doing nothing but Epley Maneuver sequences. It often will take a few, or several sessions, but I've seen it work.

Best of all, it's free. Doesn't require a prescription or pills, and no copay!

[john e. holliday]

Wait til you try your balance in your stocking feet standing on a foam pad about 6 inches thick with feet together and holding on to the back of a heavy chair or bar.   She had me close my eyes and turn loose of the hand hold.  Glad she had a strap around me.  Still trying to get where I can stand on either foot with arms at my side.  While flying today I didn't have hardly any problems with over head maneuvers.

[Steve Helmick]

Wife got Vertigo after we were rear-ended HARD at a 4-way stop. She ended up getting acupuncture , and says that fixed her right up. She says. I'd disagree, of course.  Steve

[Jim Kraft]

I have had inner ear infection twice to where I could not stand up without hanging on to something. I still have trouble in the overhead 8 sometimes where all I can see is up and have nothing on the ground to stabilize me. When I am in complete darkness I have to constantly keep myself from falling over. Most of my balance is visual instead of my inner ear.

Now I am on cortisone for polymyalgia rheumatica. That is a whole nother story but I now get dizzy again but not the same as the inner ear thing. Between the back pain and dizziness I have not flown for 2 years. Hoping to get off the cortisone in the next few months and am hoping I will be back to some sort of normal, what ever that is. LOL

[Chris McMillin]

You guys had , " The Wobblies". Unlimited level Aerobatic Pilots get it, some of your descriptions and remedies are just what some friends had and required.
Chris...