Nope, it’s not normal to spin. Period. Sometimes a person may have a feeling of “lightheadedness” when first standing up quickly, which is many times associated with a change of blood pressure. However, if there are moments of TRUE MOVEMENT: the room is moving, or it feels as though you may be moving (when you know you are not), this may be TRUE VERTIGO.
When might it happen?
If a person has an episode of vertigo, sometimes it could happen when lying down in bed, rolling over in bed, or turning/tipping the head either while lying down or at times during the day. If this happens, many times the problem can be B.P.P.V (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) which means some small rocks in your inner ear have dropped into your “balance center canals” that are fluid-filled. If this fluid gets “rocked”…punny, right?….your world spins: vertigo. Once the rocks stop moving, you may feel “okay” but you may still have a “fog,” decreased focus, nausea, headaches, and times of imbalance.
Good news! Physical Therapy can fix it!
A physical therapist who specializes with vestibular rehab will be able to help drop these rocks properly out of the “balance center canals” and right your world again to resume one’s clear focus and normal balance! This is a simple test which can be performed and treatment is straightforward and many times a same-day fix…let’s celebrate THAT!!
B.P.P.V is one of many issues of the vestibular system (inner ear balance system). It is tricky in that it doesn’t show up on an X-ray or MRI. It is highly seen at Urgent Care Systems or Emergency Departments due to their quick onset and somewhat scary nature in presentation. Physical Therapy will do efficient testing and treatment to get to the root of the problem (and not mask symptoms with a medication).
Contact Renee Dominy, PT, DPT, ACSM-CCET at Complete Physical Therapy with questions: 402-483-0006