Vertigo diet? :(

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sparklyhippos
sparklyhippos Posts: 38 Member
edited August 2015 in Food and Nutrition
I have chronic spontaneous vertigo. It sometimes seems to be migraine triggered, however my family has a huge history of Meniere's disease and I can just tell it's something with my inner ears..

I've come to realize that if I eat processed, overly salty foods before bed while already feeling a little dizzy/starting of a migraine, I will be horribly spinny the next morning.

My question is, has anyone experimented much with their diet in regards to vertigo? Other than cutting out salt, I'm not sure what else to do.. Coffee doesn't seem to affect me at all despite what the internet says.. Anything I should be eating/should not be eating?

Any advice would be much appreciated as I'm at home from work again with vertigo all because I had some McDonalds fries during a migraine last night. Not cool.

Replies

  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I get vertigo from time to time but it's not precipitated by food but rather an airplane, boat ride or sometimes a cold or allergy.
    It runs in my family also:-/
    I use specific exercises my doctor gave me to get rid of it and those usually are effective within 1-2 days.
    It's not pleasant and I wholeheartedly feel for you!
  • Sweepypie
    Sweepypie Posts: 161 Member
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    I get vertigo but my doctor said that it was coming from the back of my neck! I am on medication for it.
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
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    I have, and I know a number of people who have, yes. We've all met because we have the same disorder, but honestly, the best we can tell, we simply have certain foods that our bodies don't do well with - whether celiac, a food intolerance, a food allergy, or whatever - and so when eaten, these foods cause inflammation. And in some of us, the inflammation definitely seems to affect our ears and we tend to get vertigo/imbalance issues.

    We avoid the foods, the vertigo slowly goes away. The food is reintroduced to the diet, and the vertigo comes back.

    The one problem is that there doesn't seem to be a common food, or a common diet, that helped everyone, at least not among people I knew. It was different for everyone. Most ended up having to do a major elimination diet and keep a food journal to find out.

    But, if it helps, there did seem to be some slightly more reactions to the following groups of foods
    1. The 8 most common allergens (wheat/gluten, soy, eggs, dairy, nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish - plus sesame or sulfites, potentially)
    2. Grains, especially corn
    3. anything in the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant)
    4. foods with artificial dyes or preservatives
    5. legumes


    It's not perfect, but might be someplace to start if it IS a diet related vertigo.
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 614 Member
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    Just an FYI, my aunt had chronic vertigo for years, turns out she suffered from undiagnosed MS which ultimately led to seizures and death. Not trying to scare you, just informing. Had she been properly diagnosed years earlier, she might have led a longer, fuller life. I wish u the best.
  • maeld51
    maeld51 Posts: 3,415 Member
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    I get vertigo/blinding white spots, start getting tunnel vision about 15 minutes before a headache comes on.
    I haven't been able to connect it to food or drink but I have found a connection with rapid eye movement. Playing tennis on the Wii brings on the vertigo/migraine most times, same with strobes or anything strobe like. I often look away from the TV when anything bright and flashing comes on.
    There are a lot of medications that will trigger an episode as well.
    I hope you find what helps you. :)
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    I never associated it to food. I get it randomly and is very annoying. Doctor put me on an antihistamine to help.
    Air pressure seems to effect me. Diving in a car on a windy day, or if the windows are going up/down a lot.
    I also have terrible weak neck... hummm... wonder if this is effecting it also.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    healthygreek wrote: »
    I get vertigo from time to time but it's not precipitated by food but rather an airplane, boat ride or sometimes a cold or allergy.
    It runs in my family also:-/
    I use specific exercises my doctor gave me to get rid of it and those usually are effective within 1-2 days.
    It's not pleasant and I wholeheartedly feel for you!

    What exercises did the doctor give you..? if I may ask.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
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    Meniere's runs in my family, too. So far, I don't seem to have it. A low salt diet does help! My grandmother uses "no salt" on her foods that need salt.

    My dad does exercises to help himself. He says they make him feel sick, but they are designed to help break off the calcium build up on the scilia so that he doesn't get the huge breaks with vertigo.

    Perhaps you should get tested for it?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    my advice: talk to your doctor about a medical condition, not a bunch of random internet people...
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    my advice: talk to your doctor about a medical condition, not a bunch of random internet people...

    I agree completely, get to your physician, talk to them about possible triggers and how best to deal with vertigo and get to the bottom of what is causing it.

    I went through almost 6 months of constant attacks, which were initially triggered by a virus. Referral to a specialist confirmed damage to my vestibular nerve on the left side. I was then referred to a physiotherapist that specialized in head injury/vertigo related illnesses. I was given specific exercises to help strengthen and alleviate symptoms, and slowly this has helped bring me back to a normal life. Don't rely the internet for your answers. Talk to those that are trained to deal with these issues. Good luck OP.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    rushfive wrote: »
    healthygreek wrote: »
    I get vertigo from time to time but it's not precipitated by food but rather an airplane, boat ride or sometimes a cold or allergy.
    It runs in my family also:-/
    I use specific exercises my doctor gave me to get rid of it and those usually are effective within 1-2 days.
    It's not pleasant and I wholeheartedly feel for you!

    What exercises did the doctor give you..? if I may ask.
    It's called MEP-modified Epley procedure.
    You can google it and/or go to www.neurology.org for a video.
    It's amazing how helpful these exercises are and quite easy to do.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    healthygreek wrote: »
    rushfive wrote: »
    healthygreek wrote: »
    I get vertigo from time to time but it's not precipitated by food but rather an airplane, boat ride or sometimes a cold or allergy.
    It runs in my family also:-/
    I use specific exercises my doctor gave me to get rid of it and those usually are effective within 1-2 days.
    It's not pleasant and I wholeheartedly feel for you!

    What exercises did the doctor give you..? if I may ask.
    It's called MEP-modified Epley procedure.
    You can google it and/or go to www.neurology.org for a video.
    It's amazing how helpful these exercises are and quite easy to do.

    Thank you. I will check it out. :)
  • rosenda9375
    rosenda9375 Posts: 6 Member
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    I was finally diagnosed with Ménière's disease about 18 months ago by an ENT doctor. I had horrible episodes of vertigo especially during the night, I would literally be awakened by the spinning in my head:( It got to the point where I couldn't even lay semi sitting on pillows and look from side to side just with my eyes before I would vomit! I was miserable and getting dehydrated from the nausea and upon seeing this ENT he did a hearing test to get a "base line" of my hearing since one of Ménière's symptoms is usually tinnitus or ringing in the ears and a slight to moderate hearing loss before an episode. I went home and was told to come back as soon as I started to have another episode and to watch for these symptoms which I had 4 days later. I went in and they did another hearing test and my hearing in my left ear went down 9 decibels! Doc said 10 is their magic number but I was so close that he was ruling it as Ménière's. I was out on 25 mg of hydrochlorothyazide which is basically a diuretic and it has helped tremendously:) I do try to avoid the salty food so as to not retain water. I feel your pain and I hope this helps you and gets you on the right path to talk with your doc!
  • sparklyhippos
    sparklyhippos Posts: 38 Member
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    Thank you guys so much..
    I am in the middle of medical treatment, I've seen many different doctors and most of them do not seem to know much about vertigo. I'm glad to hear though that there are many reasons for it.
    I wonder if I were to get a hearing test before I see the ENT (whenever that may be..), and if anything Meniere's-related were to come out of it, would the person conducting the test know to connect the dots to Meniere's, and be able to inform my doctor/ENT?
    I would also be interested in trying an elimination diet.. Not exactly sure where I'd start though or what to cut out first..?
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    ENT: Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist

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