Nearly 8 million people in the U.S. suffer from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV. It's a disorder that may lead to lightheadedness or a feeling that the room is spinning. BPPV, the most common vertigo disorder, occurs when the head changes positions, causing calcium carbonate crystals to become loose in the inner ear.
Dr. Carol Foster, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine treats people who suffer from dizziness and imbalance.
"I have a clinic devoted to just that one disease every week and I do maneuvers to treat people," she said. "Over the many years I've done that, I noticed people kept coming back."
Foster had Meniere's disease and has also dealt with positional vertigo for years. Her experience with the disorder led her to develop the half somersault maneuver. It's a simple move that puts the misplaced crystals back where they belong.
The half somersault is so easy, Foster said, that now, she never has positional vertigo for more than a minute.
"I started giving that out and actually that greatly, greatly reduced the need for people to return to see the doctor," she said. "They could treat it at home."
Foster's video of the maneuver went viral, which led her to write a new book that gives a comprehensive overview of BPPV and how to treat it. "Overcoming Positional Vertigo" will be released in Jan. 2019.
