Epley Maneuver (for Vertigo)

by Cat, Oct 2019

I received this information from my PT at Advanced Rehabilitation Services in Kalispell MT (1), because I have vertigo; the problem involves both ears and also my eyes. The Epley maneuver restores the crystals in your inner ear canals to the proper place, so you don’t get dizzy. The eye exercises (not included here) are needed if you also have balance problems when standing/walking.

The Epley maneuver is done on your bed (3, 4), and is very effective, but the problem can recur after a few days, weeks or months. If that happens, resume the exercises again, until the problem goes away (for now).  Carol Foster’s version (5) is done with your knees on the floor, rather than lying down.

I first did the exercises in 2017; the problem did not reoccur until earlier this year (2019).  In September, I saw my acupuncturist for a problem in my hip – it is tilted up on the right side; he taught me how to do Self Sotai exercises on the floor or a bed with a firm mattress. Then a few days ago I realized that I can do the Sotai exercises first, and follow them with the Epley Maneuver while lying on my bed. This works great. See my post: Self Sotai Exercises if you want to give this a try; they are easy and the results are amazing for posture issues and more.

Note: I will be moving this to my Health and Metabolism blog, once I get all my old articles moved from my iweb site.

See also 1. Diet and Health Menu; 2. Self Sotai Exercises;  Other Sites: 3. John Hopkins Medical (2); 4. How to Do the Epley Movement on YouTube (3,4); 5. Carol Foster MD’s Vertigo Treatment on YouTube (5)

Epley Maneuver (for Vertigo)

These instructions are from my PT at Advanced Rehabilitation Services (1); see also John Hopkins Medical (2) for slightly different instructions. The Epley maneuver restores the crystals in your inner ear canals to the proper place.

To determine whether the problem is in your left or right (or both) ears, see 7-min Epley Movement Video by Physical Therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck (4).

If desired, you can precede this exercise with Sotai exercises on the same bed (if it has a firm mattress).

• If the problem is with your LEFT ear:
  1. [Place a pillow on bed, to be] under your shoulders at mid-back level when you lie down. [Your head should not be on the pillow, but rather tipped back onto the bed, about 20°.]
  2. Sit up with your head turned 45° to the LEFT and tipped back 20°.
  3. Lie down quickly but gently still looking LEFT and UP, and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  4. With our head still tilted back, rotate head to the RIGHT at 45° and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  5. Further rotate head down RIGHT, halfway rolling over so your forehead is directly on your bed, and hold for 90 seconds. [That is, rotate body on bed so laying on your RIGHT shoulder, with your head down, so your forehead is directly on your bed (almost looking down to the floor), and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  6. Come to a sitting position on RIGHT side of bed and stay seated for 1 minute, looking forward.
• If the problem is with your RIGHT ear, do as above but turning your head the opposite way:
  1. [Place a pillow on bed, to be] under your shoulders at mid-back level when you lie down. [Your head should not be on the pillow, but rather tipped back onto the bed.]
  2. Sit up with your head turned 45° to the RIGHT and tipped back 20°.
  3. Lie down quickly but gently still looking RIGHT and UP, and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  4. With your head still tilted back, rotate head to the LEFT at 45° and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  5. Further rotate head down LEFT, halfway rolling over so your forehead is directly on your bed, and hold for 90 seconds. [That is, rotate body on bed so laying on your LEFT shoulder, with your head down, so your forehead is directly on your bed (almost looking down to the floor), and hold for [30 – 90 seconds, or until the spinning stops].
  6. Come to a sitting position on LEFT side of bed and stay seated for 1 minute, looking forward.
• If in both ears: do the Left ear one day, and Right ear the next day.

Physical Therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck (4) recommend NOT tilting your head forward and down (as to look at your laptop or mobile phone screen) for the remainder of the day, to allow the crystals in the inner ear tubes to return where they belong. They suggest getting a soft cushion collar at your local pharmacy, to wear around you neck and keep your head from tilting forward and down.

References:

1. arspt.com
2. hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/home-epley-maneuver
3. Epley Movement Video: youtube.com/watch?v=Dd07LlkzdeU
4. Epley Movement Video by Physical Therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck: youtube.com/watch?v=K4S4CbuN6QA
5. Carol Foster’s video: youtube.com/watch?v=mQR6b7CAiqk (This link may no longer work: youtube.com/watch?v=1VWyPgfMuvM)