Epley’s Maneuver: An Easy At-Home Fix For Positional Vertigo

January 6, 2020Dr. Grant Radermacher

Feeling dizzy?

You get out of bed and it feels as if the whole room is spinning, day after day. That’s what life can be like for people with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, more commonly referred to as positional vertigo. It’s a condition I see and treat at least weekly at Ascent Chiropractic.

Positional vertigo is caused by a problem in the semicircular canals of the inner ear. The semicircular canals are fluid-filled structures that detect motion and send this information to your brain. They’re attached to structures called utricles that contain calcium crystals that also help detect movement.

Sometimes these crystals dislodge from the utricle and end up inside the semicircular canals. When these crystals land on the tiny sensitive hairs that line the semicircular canal (due to certain head movements) it can result in incorrect signals about your position being sent to your brain. This can make you feel like the world is spinning – that’s positional vertigo.

Positional vertigo differs from other types of vertigo in that episodes last a minute or less and are brought on by changes in position.

Epley’s maneuver: An easy do-it-yourself fix

Thankfully, there’s a safe method of semi-permanently correcting the symptoms of positional vertigo in about 80% of patients. It’s called the Epley maneuver, and it’s simple enough that you can do it at home.

Disclaimer: people with health conditions that limit their ability to move may not be able to do the Epley maneuver safely. These issues can include neck or back disorders, vascular conditions, and retinal detachment. Ask your healthcare provider if the at-home Epley maneuver is safe for you. If you or someone you know is having sudden balance issues combined with other signs of stroke, call 911 immediately.

Start by sitting on the bed. You need to have a pillow in place so that when you lie back it will be under your shoulders.

Follow these steps if the problem is in your right ear (vertigo when you turn your head right):

1. Start by sitting on a bed.
2. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
3. Quickly lie back, keeping your head turned. Your shoulders should now be on the pillow, and your head should be reclined. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Turn your head 90 degrees to the left, without raising it. Your head will now be looking 45 degrees to the left. Wait another 30 seconds.
5. Turn your head and body another 90 degrees to the left, into the bed. Wait another 30 seconds.
6. Sit up on the left side.

Follow these steps if the problem is in your left ear (vertigo when you turn your head left):

1. Start by sitting on a bed.
2. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left.
3. Quickly lie back, keeping your head turned. Your shoulders should now be on the pillow, and your head should be reclined. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Turn your head 90 degrees to the right, without raising it. Your head will now be looking 45 degrees to the right. Wait another 30 seconds.
5. Turn your head and body another 90 degrees to the right, into the bed. Wait another 30 seconds.
6. Sit up on the right side.

Most people say their symptoms go away right after they do the maneuver. In some cases, it may take a few times for the procedure to work. Some people may have mild symptoms for a couple of weeks. But once your symptoms go away, there’s no need to keep doing the maneuver.

What if your vertigo doesn’t get better?

If your symptoms don’t improve, you may have another problem that’s causing vertigo.

Even if you have no obvious history of head or neck trauma, there is a chance that your vertigo or dizziness symptoms could be related to misalignment in your spine. In a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 90% of patients suffering from vertigo caused by dysfunction in the upper neck found success with chiropractic manipulation.

Need a chiropractor in Brookfield? At Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield we use a gentle, safe chiropractic adjusting technique to correct the joint misalignments that are often the source of dizziness and vertigo symptoms. To make an appointment today, call us at 262-345-4166 or use our online scheduling app.