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How Can Vertigo Be Treated Despite Taking Dramamine And Excedrin?
Posted on
Sun, 31 Dec 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 31 Dec 2017
Answered on
Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Last reviewed on
Question : My 69 year old wife is experiencing her second day of severe vertigo. she is virtually incapacitated. she had a one day attack of the same symptoms last weekend. She believes this time it began with her looking up and feels that it is neck and head related. she has taken Dramamine And Excedrin migraine in an attempt to get relief to no avail. What do yo suggest for a next step? Thank you, Stu R.
Brief Answer:
Vestibulum (part of the ear) might be a cause and Epley maneuver might help
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
There are several causes of the vertigo and if it is related with raising the head and movements related to it than a very probably cause of it is what we call BPPV (benign paroxismal positional vertigo). This causes extreme vertigo with head movements and is easily diagnosed and treated with a special examination called Epley and Dix Hallpike.
This is an examination that your doctor can make in his office and this is the same method used to treat it. It is mostly caused by precipitations in the fluids of the vestibulum (the part of the ear that is responsible for the balance) and the Dix Hallpike manouver helps move the precipitations by diagnosing and treating it.
The medications generally are not effective in this case so you need to have a visit with your doctor to have it diagnosed and treated.
If after performing the examination your doctor does not think that BPPV is the cause of the vertigo with the head movements in your case than the neck vessels that "feed" the brain might be considered and examinations related to them should be done. This is a very rare cause of vertigo and not very likely if someone does not have chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes but still there is a small risk of it if the cause of the vertigo is not due to BPPV.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to contact me in case anymore clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Vestibulum (part of the ear) might be a cause and Epley maneuver might help
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
There are several causes of the vertigo and if it is related with raising the head and movements related to it than a very probably cause of it is what we call BPPV (benign paroxismal positional vertigo). This causes extreme vertigo with head movements and is easily diagnosed and treated with a special examination called Epley and Dix Hallpike.
This is an examination that your doctor can make in his office and this is the same method used to treat it. It is mostly caused by precipitations in the fluids of the vestibulum (the part of the ear that is responsible for the balance) and the Dix Hallpike manouver helps move the precipitations by diagnosing and treating it.
The medications generally are not effective in this case so you need to have a visit with your doctor to have it diagnosed and treated.
If after performing the examination your doctor does not think that BPPV is the cause of the vertigo with the head movements in your case than the neck vessels that "feed" the brain might be considered and examinations related to them should be done. This is a very rare cause of vertigo and not very likely if someone does not have chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes but still there is a small risk of it if the cause of the vertigo is not due to BPPV.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to contact me in case anymore clarification is needed on this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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