A few weeks ago I started experiencing vertigo. I never felt like I was spinning, but just off balance. I have done the Epley Maneuver 3 times and feel so much worse. Now I feel like I am spinning and shifting back and forth. Now I feel worse than I did before. Do I continue doing the maneuvers or should I stop? My face swelled when I took meclizine last year but considering taking that again. Also I have had some ringing in my ears and ear pain since I started the Epley Maneuver.
The Epley manoeuvre is designed to be performed by a professional - usually a specially-trained physiotherapist, but some ENT doctors know how to do it too. You should never attempt it yourself. It won't do you any real harm but it can make you feel a lot worse.
It is in any case specific for BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) which is the condition where the crystals in your inner ear get into the wrong place and send false information to your brain as to the position of your head in space. It will only work for BPPV, and not for any other causes of vertigo. Even in the case of BPPV, it should still only be performed by a professional.
I'm not a doctor but it sounds to me as if you don't have BPPV anyway. I've now had it three times, so am well acquainted with the symptoms. BPPV does cause a general feeling of instability, but its main characteristic is brief, violent attacks of spinning when you tilt your head into certain positions, which can even make you fall over on the spot. If you don't have this, you don't have BPPV, therefore an Epley, even performed by a professional, won't help you.
It would be better to consult your doctor over this, as there are several conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
Thank you for your response. I saw a neurologist last week and he did some tests and said my right eye was twitching when I laid back and looked to the right. Laying in bed brings on vertigo worse. He showed me how to do the maneuver in the office and I felt better for a few days and now feel worse.
As I understand it the epley manoeuvre is for dislodging crystals in your ear when you have BPPV. I had BPPV and had the epley done by a consultant but it didn't work for me but it did confirm I have BPPV as it caused nystagmus. I then went on the internet and bought myself a hat called the dizzy fix hat which was meant to mimic the epley. It made things worse for me. I went to see the consultant and he told me to throw it away as it could make matters worse. It might be best to stop doing it unless it is being done properly by someone who knows what they are doing.
I always felt much worse after my Epleys for about 1 or 2 days! Are you keeping your head still after and sleeping sitting up?
Do you also get headaches ,is it on one side
Well, in that case I suppose it could be BPPV. Don't you get very dizzy and start falling when you stand up and tilt your head backwards and to the affected side though? That would be the norm with this condition. (If you're going to try this, make sure you're holding on to something solid!)
I hesitate to argue with a neurologist, but I still don't think the Epley should be self-performed. I'm also a bit puzzled about the pain in your ear, as BPPV doesn't cause any pain as far as I know.
There's an alternative to the Epley called the half-somersault manoeuvre, which is said to be suitable for self-administration as it's not as sensitive to exact timing as the Epley. You can google it. A couple of people who post on these boards swear by it, so it might work for you. I have to say I tried it during an attack of BPPV a year ago and it just made me feel very sick for a few minutes afterwards. I finally got an instant cure when a vestibular physiotherapist performed an Epley under control of infrared video goggles.
I hope you can find a solution.
I did the maneuver for 3 days and felt so much better but the 4th day I felt so much worse. Maybe the Chrystal’s are moving in my ear? I am hesitant to continue the maneuver. I probably haven’t kept my head super still but I do sleep propped up
Thank you for your response. I will call vestibular therapy on Monday to get an appointment. I felt so much better for about 3 days then today I’ve felt much worse. Maybe a side effect of the epley? When I did the dix Hall pike test today I was not dizzy as before. Now I feel like I am on a boat
Normally the Epley will work first time if it's been done properly. Once the crystals get back where they're supposed to be, they should stay there. It isn't really intended for regular use.
The physio who performed mine told me to keep my head very still and stay upright for at least 12 hours afterwards. He also told me I had to sleep on the unaffected side for the whole of the first night - which took a bit of arranging.
The spinning attacks stopped immediately, but the sensation of being on a boat actually got quite a lot worse for the first few days after the Epley. However, the physio had warned me that I'd feel "a bit drunk" for a while, and it soon settled down.
See my reply of a few minutes ago, which crossed with yours. It's normal to feel woozier than before for a few days after a successful Epley. Still not a bad idea to have a session with a vestibular specialist though.
Good luck!
Could be the crystals are still moving around. Could be crystals dislodged in the other ear. Therapist can perform hallpike and tell you if it's one or both ears. Doing the epely for right ear if the left is messed up will result in your symptoms.
That is a good point. I tried to preform the test myself and when I did, I felt equally dizzy on both sides. I did the maneuver for the right the first day, and the left the second and third day
Bill is right. You could be really messing up if you're doing it randomly on both sides without knowing which ear is affected. You won't do yourself any lasting harm but you risk making yourself feel terrible.
Since you say you have an appointment with a vestibular specialist, I'd advise stopping all "self-help" for the time being - which I'm sure you already have.
The real go-to for vestibular problems is a neurotologist (trained both in neuro and related areas of otology) but usually the next best is a specialist vestibular physiotherapist. The latter are expert in diagnosing whether or not it's BPPV, treating it if it is, and referring you to the right place if it's not. A few ENT doctors have experience in vestibular problems, but the evidence from these boards (and certainly my own personal experience) is that depressingly few know anything about this area.
Go and see your vestibular specialist, whatever his/her discipline, and I'm sure you'll get the best results.
Oh, and don't forget to come back here and tell us all how you got on!
It took me 4 Epley Maneuvers spaced a week apart to get my crystals back in place. I puked for hours after my first one, and I could barely walk for days after my first couple maneuvers. It is important that you sleep sitting upright for 48 hours afterwards. My vestibular therapist used the goggles so she knew which ear was affected.
I have done 4 epley maneuvers in 4 days and today I feel so much worse. I feel spinning sensations and can barely stand up or walk. I thought this would help instead of making it worse 
I felt fine for 3 days then today I woke up feeling terrible. Hopefully this gets better soon because I am a student and can it afford to miss class
How long did it take after the maneuvers for you to feel better?
PLEASE... don't do the Epley manoeuvre yourself! A few people get lucky and get away with it, but the vast majority end up feeling much worse, even if it doesn't do them any permanent harm. From what you've posted, you don't even know which ear is affected. If you do it for the wrong ear you'll automatically feel worse.
You've already got an appointment with a vestibular specialist. Now stop tinkering with things you don't fully understand.
Neurologist is a brain doc. Neurotologist deals with brain and connections to it from ears and vestibular system. If all others fail, he's the doc to see. The therapist should be able to tell you what side is bad. More so than a ENT. They deal with it every day. Very well trained. They told me what side was causing my problems when others had no idea. When my issues first started it wasn't so easy to tell. If the issue is in your right ear and you do the epely for your left, it can move the crystal deeper into the wrong spot. They get caught in the hairs and cause the false responses. If it can't be easily corrected it could take months to retrain your brain to deal with it or move it to a spot it won't cause the issues. Been dealing with these issues for 12 years. Seen alot if docs and 3 therapists. Currently seeing a neurotologist myself. These guys make a regular ENT look like an idiot.
Yes I have definitely stopped doing that! I am waiting until I go to the therapist this week. I got desperate and decided to give it a try