It’s that time a year for the annual trip to the Christmas tree lot. When a person has Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), bending the head down, or tipping the head back, can trigger a vertigo spell. It goes without saying, that if you are standing on a ladder and reaching overhead to hang something on a tree, you definitely don’t want the world to spin!
So this is a tip for those with holiday cheer and vertigo, let someone else do the ladders, and the reaching overhead and bending over! If you have positional vertigo, aim for the ornaments in the middle of the tree where you can keep your head level. This way you won’t have to worry about triggering the vertigo, and potentially falling and getting hurt during the holiday session. Or, if you live alone, you could get a smaller tree this year that is 3 feet tall, and place it on a small table so that you can decorate it without having to tip you head back or bend over too much…
For those of you with balance problems or BPPV, give yourself the present you deserve, and go and see a trained vestibular specialist and get treated for your problem. That would be the best present of all!
Happy Holidays! – Dr. Laura Wazen, Equinox Physical Therapy 941-404-4567
