Vestibular Issues Podcast


Kristin Schulz, a physical therapist and geriatric specialist affiliated with Sharp HealthCare, answers these and more questions. Listen to the full audio clip to learn more.

Kristin Schulz

I get dizzy in the mornings. What does that mean?
A large percentage of the adult population reports dizziness or vertigo to their doctors during their lifetime. You should go to the doctor if you have any new unexplained dizziness or balance problems, any new hearing loss or confusion, loss of coordination, weakness or have been falling.

I get vertigo often, what should I do?
If you get vertigo often, you want to make sure that you follow your doctor’s recommendations and keep track of the episodes of vertigo, in terms of duration and what seems to make the vertigo worse so you can discuss these episodes with your health care provider.

What is BPPV (benign positional paroxysmal vertigo)?
This problem is very common in people over the age of 50, sometimes because of a bump to the head, sometimes because of a fall or sometimes just because of other vestibular disorders can put you at risk for this problem. It is due to the debris that collects inside the inner ear. It’s because the debris or the crystals inside the inner ear are shifting and they give the brain a false sense of movement. The symptoms are usually intense vertigo or room spinning especially with head movements, getting out of bed, rolling over in bed or bending down. The good news about this problem is that it’s easily treated and it typically improves within just a few visits. This problem is very common in people over the age of 50.

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