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Holistic Cures for Vertigo

People who suffer from vertigo experience the sensation that things are spinning around them. Frequently, this sensation is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Left untreated, vertigo can be debilitating, as attacks can occur with no warning. If you suffer from vertigo, there are some steps you can take to treat it holistically, allowing you to treat the condition without taking prescription medication or undergoing surgery.

  1. Holistic Treatment

    • According to the American Holistic Medical Association, holistic medicine focuses on integrating the individual's body, mind and spirit. It attempts to determine the root cause for a disease, then uses both conventional and complementary, or alternative, medicine to treat it. Holistic practitioners turn to drugs and surgery only after they have tried less potentially harmful methods of healing.

    Canalith Repositioning Exercises

    • A type of vertigo called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is caused by canaliths, a type of calcium crystal, disturbing balance by floating in the semicircular canals of the inner ear. Your doctor can teach you a series of simple exercises, called canalith repositioning exercises, that you can perform at home with the goal of moving the crystals to a less troublesome place in the ear.

    Diet

    • Vertigo is the primary symptom of a type of migraine called vestibular migraine. Since certain foods can serve as migraine triggers, keep a food diary and see whether you notice a pattern between eating particular foods and having an attack of vertigo. Pay special attention to migraine "trigger" foods, such as red wine, aged meats, aged cheeses and foods containing MSG (monosodium glutamate).

      Ginger is often used to treat motion sickness. It can help with the nausea that accompanies a vertigo attack and may help stop the attack itself. Try drinking a cup or two of ginger tea or eating a few pieces of crystallized ginger. Don't use ginger if you are taking a prescription blood thinner.

    Stress Reduction

    • Some people experience vertigo in response to stressful situations. Yoga and meditation are helpful in managing stress. Ask your holistic health care provider to recommend practitioners who can help you learn to practice these techniques and incorporate them into your daily routine.

    Warning

    • While the cause of vertigo is frequently not serious, vertigo is also a symptom of grave conditions such as multiple sclerosis or even a tumor. Don't attempt to treat it yourself before you have seen your doctor for testing to determine what is causing your vertigo.

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