Intermittent Dizziness

Q:  I have had episodes of dizziness that comes on intermittently and seems to be occurring more frequently and it seems to happen whenever I lie down.  I have been getting treated for a car accident that occurred earlier this year, could they be related?

A:  There is a chance you have benign paradoxical vertigo. This is caused by an unequal distribution of inner ear matter. There are very simple exercises that can be done in sitting.  Turning your head to one side and falling to the opposite side touching the part of your head beneath your ear to the surface count to 30, up and follow the same directions to the other side.  

It will take 6-10 sets several times a day to reset the distribution of matter within the inner ear.  Vertigo should decrease with the exercise if indeed this is the problem.  Other causes of dizziness are the rotation of the first cervical vertebrae on the second, trigger points of the sternocleidomastoid muscle ( on either side of the the front of the neck), rotation of the temporal bone of the head, or tempomandibular dysfunction which is whip lash of the jaw.  All of these problems can be a result of a car accident and a whiplash of the head. Your family doctor can refer you to a physical therapist specializing in whiplash dysfunction if it is fascial or muscular, an osteopathic doctor who uses craniosacral technique if indeed it is related to the position of the head bones including the jaw or an ear, nose and throat doctor to assess the inner ear.  Symptoms with more complications would be further evaluated by the ear, nose and throat doctor to rule out tumors or nerve damage. There are many websites dealing with benign paradoxical vertigo and that would be the easiest to treat yourself.