Phobia of Heights...or is it?

[Emma_student]

Hi guys,

This is my first post in the phobias thread but if anyone has any advice for me, i'd really appreciate it.

Recently i've been experiencing something akin to vertigo. I'm following up with the docs about that so the medical side is covered for now, but the strange thing is, i don't actually feel scared. I've had falling dreams for as long as i remember, and it has lead to a fear of falling. But strangely, its more like my body reacts to being up high and my mind follows it. Let me explain:

Theres a tower at my uni which is about 18 storeys high, and my courses department is on the 15th floor. The first time this happened was when i went to hand in an essay and i got onto the floor and everything just started to feel unsteady, like the tower was moving. I quickly posted my essay and got back into the lift. I was sweating like crazy and i felt like i was going to fall.

Nowadays, it happens when i go anywhere above 5 storeys or so and most of my lessons are in towers. So im pretty stuck.

Can anyone relate to this?

[nutjob85]

I can understand what you mean

I was having the same symptoms, it was actually worse when I was asleep. I would wake up dizzy and the room shook from side to side

My GP sent me to the hospital and the diagnosed BPPV. I understand it small crystals in the ear that become dislodged and cause dizzyness and balance problems

I think stress and anxiety made it worse

The nurse preformed a proceedure on me to re align the crystals and so far I have been fine

I hope you get to the problem

All the best

Mark

[Catherine S]

The nurse performed a procedure on you to re-align the crystals in you ear. In all my years working with the NHS I have never heard of a procedure like that. I didn't even know we had crystals in our ears! Could explain why I lean to the left when flying...well not actually flying, but being on the plane...who knew :huh:

[Emma_student]

Oh yes, ive heard about that! I read up on it on patient.com when my brother had problems with his ears. I didnt know we had crystals in our ears either but according to the website, they become loose and start moving around.... weird huh?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Cause
The dizziness is caused by dislodged calcium crystals (salt crystals) in the fluid of the inner ear. The calcium crystals move through the fluid of the inner ear during certain head movements of motion or dizziness (vertigo).

Treatment (medical)
The goals of treatment are to eliminate or decrease the current symptoms. In the office if the doctor can provoke the dizziness, a specific type of nystagmus (uncontrollable eye movement) will occur causing a brief (15-45 seconds) bout of dizziness with the Hallpike maneuver. At that time a defined set of movements will be performed to the patient by the doctor to reposition the loose salt crystals (canaliths) into a "quiet" region of the inner ear. After the maneuver, a cervical neck collar will be applied with instructions for the next several days. This may include sleeping in bed on 3 pillows or in a reclining chair so as to keep the salt crystals in the proper area of the inner ear. This maneuver may need to be repeated at another office appointment if the dizziness does not clear or if it returns at another time in the future.
Another medical treatment for this condition involves the patient in a series of physical therapy maneuvers to alleviate dizziness. This is termed the Brandt -Daroff excercises. This involves a specific series of movements that the patient performs alone or with the doctor or physical therapist. The specific set of maneuvers is listed below:

1. From a sitting position, turn your head 45 degrees to the opposite side, then lay on the affected ear DOWN. Stare at an object about 8 feet away and wait for the dizziness to resolve and stay there for about 1 minute.
2. When the dizziness resolves, sit up and stare at the same object until the dizziness is over.
3. Then perform this in the opposite direction.
4. Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 three times.
Occasionally, one is not able to fatigue or alleviate the dizziness. In those patients, the doctor may ask you to wear a soft cervical neck collar to limit the head motion.


Didn't know about the ear ones, they are common in causing joint inflamation in several forms and we've even got them in muscles, the pineal gland in the brain, etc...just different types.

Who said crystal therapy didn't work, eh?