Colorado National Monument.
Calcium Crystals
I’m still waiting for my echocardiogram, and therefore don’t have any new information on the condition of my heart, but I’m happy to say that I did figure out what was causing my dizziness and haven't had an issue since. In the end I had two bouts of dizziness: the first one (the one that sent me to the doctor) was fairly mild in comparison—mostly lightheadedness and an occasional rush of blood to the head when I’d stand up. But the second episode was much more intense, as I experienced full-on vertigo for the first time in my life. It was awful.
Fortunately for me, (unfortunately for him) my dad had previously experienced this same issue and was able to guide me towards a resolution (thanks, Dad!). I didn’t know any of this before but apparently we all have tiny calcium crystals that live in a very specific part of our inner ears. These crystals sensitize us to gravity and help us keep our balance, which is handy, but when the crystals become dislodged and begin floating through different parts of the inner ear it can send confusing signals to the brain, which often results in vertigo (not so handy).
I ended up taking an at-home test, known as the Dix-Hallpike test, to confirm that my calcium crystals were dislodged and to identify which ear was the problem. The test was really simple: sit upright on a bed with a large pillow behind me, turn my head 45 degrees to the right and let myself fall backwards onto the bed, draping myself over the pillow as if I were leaning backwards over a large barrel. I didn’t experience any symptoms on my right side, but when I went through the same process with my head turned to the left my symptoms went into hyperdrive for about 5 seconds—the room started spinning out of control, I felt instantly nauseous and experienced uncontrollable eye movement (thankfully I was warned about this ahead of time). This test confirmed that my left ear was the problem.
I then went through the “Epley maneuver,” which is a series of head and body movements used to coax the calcium crystals back to where they’re supposed to be. This was a godsend! After the first round my symptoms were noticeably better. I then did it 2-3 more times over the next 24 hours and my symptoms were almost entirely gone. A couple days later I was completely back to normal. What a relief!
It was not a fun experience but I sure learned a lot of interesting information and useful tactics that I’ll hopefully never need again. But I figured I’d share my experience in case the same thing ever happens to you. This could be handy to know!
“BPPV is caused by loose particles of calcium in the inner ear. The calcium particles are microscopic crystals that are normally attached to one of the balance organs in the inner ear. In BPPV, these particles drift into one of the balance canals, where they don't belong. Tilting the head quickly causes the particles to move, stimulating the nerve receptors in that balance canal and creating the false sensation of movement (vertigo). The condition usually comes about for no known reason. Occasionally it can be caused by a head injury or an ear infection. BPPV should be differentiated by other causes of vertigo that may not be as easy to treat.” Source: www.mountsinai.org
P.S. I probably don’t need to remind you that I’m not a doctor and that you should absolutely consult a professional if you’re experiencing any health concerns, but I will anyway: I’m not a doctor and you should absolutely consult a professional if you’re experiencing any health concerns.
