Somerset woman reveals what it’s like to live with vertigo which can be ‘terrifying’ – Somerset Live

If you’ve ever suffered with vertigo or labyrinthitis, then I hope this story will resonate with you.

If you’ve never suffered with vertigo or labyrinthitis, then I couldn’t be more envious of you if I tried.

Contrary to popular belief, when I speak about vertigo, I’m not referring to being scared of heights – I’ve been to the top of The Empire State Building, The Stratosphere, The Eiffel Tower and I’ve regularly flown in the wicker basket of a hot air balloon. All without fear.

No, when I speak of vertigo, I’m referring to the sensation of spinning and loss of balance – something I can only describe as like being on a boat in choppy water.

Only when you get to dry land, the feeling doesn’t stop. Ever.

Vertigo is not just all about a fear of heights
(Image: Getty Images)

Ear wax and cleaning problems

In the past, I have had regular problems with my ears in that my ear canals seem to be so tiny, that ear wax and debris would constantly block my ears to the point that I could hardly hear anything.

I would never push cotton buds into my ears, after hearing from various news articles and, later health professionals, that this actually pushed wax deeper into the ear.

Instead I would just let the water run into my ear when I had a shower and hoped that the steam would help to break up the solid wax inside.

I’d go and get them syringed by my GP – a technique that included inserting a pressurised instrument full of water into your ear, holding a bowl beneath it to catch what came out and leaving with crystal clear hearing.

Before this treatment, you would need to spend a week pouring olive oil into your ears, in the hopes that it would soften the wax and make it easier to remove.

My last syringe treatment some years ago, saw my nurse declare that I probably shouldn’t have it done as regularly, as flaps of skin were beginning to peel away from the inside of my ear. The thought of this freaked me out, quite significantly.

Now I’ve learned that you should really be getting your ears cleaned with suction – air rather than water – as water can lead to eczema (swimmer’s ear).

BPPV affected me in my sleep
(Image: Getty Images)

Vertigo Part 1

My first experience of vertigo was some years ago, when I suffered from Benign Paroxysmal Positional …….

Source: https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/special-features/vertigo-what-its-like-constant-3735451