Homeopathic treatment for vertigo and dizziness
A not uncommon symptom that I see in my practice is dizziness, sometimes referred to as vertigo in medical textbooks. Which term should we use when describing this feeling? Are dizziness and vertigo the same thing?
Although we tend to use the terms interchangeably, vertigo is a specific type of dizziness that is often brought about by change of position of the head. Underlying causes include a sudden drop in blood pressure, dehydration, high stress, head trauma or a viral infection. Vertigo is also a symptom of conditions of the inner ear such as Ménière’s disease.
Vertigo is often described as a spinning sensation or loss of balance, and involuntary motion of the eyes (nystagmus). Testing is an important step to take if you think you have vertigo. Your family doctor will likely start by evaluating the functioning of your vestibular system. This system involves inputs from three of our sensory systems: vision, proprioception (touch) and hearing, also referred to as the vestibular, or inner ear. These sensory systems work harmoniously in order for us to stand upright, walk gracefully, follow moving objects with our eyes and prevent falls.
Dizziness or a faint feeling can be a symptom of a host of other disorders to do with the heart, brain and nervous system. People who experience anxiety or psychiatric conditions also report dizziness as a symptom.
Because of the many reasons someone can experience dizziness, a visit to your family doctor can be important if you experience dizziness regularly. Your doctor may order a number of tests and even if an exact cause can’t be found, it is helpful to eliminate any that may be serious.
In homeopathic treatment of the experience of dizziness or with a diagnosis of vertigo, the place to start treatment often has to do with time.
If the dizziness is recent and has followed a recent cold or flu, an acute remedy is given and people tend to feel better fairly quickly. Unfortunately, many people who suffer from this distressing symptom can suffer from it for weeks, months and even years before they seek help.
In more serious conditions, such as Ménière’s disease, a homeopathic remedy would also take into consideration any additional symptoms such as nausea, hearing loss or tinnitus. And unlike treatment following a cold or flu, it will likely require a longer period of time to resolve.
Know Your Triggers
Before seeking help from a doctor, a homeopath or another healthcare practitioner, it would be helpful to make note of when, where or how you experience symptoms. Vertigo or dizziness can be triggered or worsened by a number of situations or scenarios.
Here are some examples:
- Temperature and weather: worse or better outdoors or indoors; influenced by the onset of cold, damp, hot or windy weather
- Activities: made worse going up stairs or down stairs, worse from motion (in a car or by moving the body), worse going from sitting to standing, worse talking or writing
- Position: made better or worse by lying down, by bending backwards or forwards
- Eyes/vision: worse on closing eyes, entering a dark room, in brightly lit areas or when looking downwards or upwards
- Emotions: worse during feeling anxiety, or anger, in crowds or from mental excitement
There are about 650 homeopathic remedies indicated for the treatment of vertigo and dizziness. The remedy I choose for a client is always individualized to match their exact symptoms, and is not dependent on particular diagnosis.
Remedies in the Toolkit
The remedy Bryonia is suited for dizziness that comes on after and illness with fever, where the only way to avoid an attack is to lie absolutely still, not even moving the eyes. People who need this remedy may also tell me that it is worse when rising in the morning or at 9pm.
Calcarea Carbonica is another remedy that is indicated for dizziness after a cold, flu or a period of stress and overwork. With this person, any sudden motion, like turning the head too quickly will result in dizziness, which may be felt particularly on the top of the head.
Silica is a remedy suitable for a wide array of ear symptoms. Over sensitiveness to noise, a plugged feeling in the ears, hearing loss, or shooting pain in one or both ears can be part of the symptom picture. The dizzy feeling might be described as swirling, or wavering, where they feel things are whirling around them. A person needing this remedy may report excessive perspiration of their head. They may also report that their symptoms are better by keeping the head warm in hat or toque.
Cocculus is the remedy indicated if dizziness is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. This is the ultimate motion sickness remedy, so it would be my first choice in if my client also reports this as part of their symptom picture.
You are Not Alone
Experiencing a dizzy or unsteady feeling can be frustrating, scary and sometimes debilitating; just know you are not alone. If you are accustomed to treating colds and flus in your household with homeopathy, you can try a remedy in your home kit that covers dizziness. In situations where dizziness or vertigo has been a persistent, chronic or recurring experience, it is best to seek the advice of a homeopath.