Dealing with unexplained dizziness

This Week In The HSI Forum

Unexplained dizziness, high blood pressure and natural treatments for ear infections all come together in one thread on the HSI Forum this week. The thread is titled “Dizziness,” and a member named James starts it off with a request for information. For several weeks his wife has experienced dizziness when she stands up or walks. He asks, “Anyone have any experience with this problem?”

A response from a member named Jo brings this question: “Does your wife have low blood pressure, or high, or maybe it changes too much when she moves position?”

James reports that his wife has been to the doctor and her blood pressure was normal. The doctor couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but prescribed an antihistamine. (Sounds like a cross-your-fingers and hope-you-get-lucky treatment.) Then a member named Barb posts these insightful comments about measuring blood pressure:

“Did they take the BP lying down, then sitting, then standing? Also, if they had her standing, how long did they wait before taking the blood pressure? I am also wondering if they checked her heart rate in the three different positions. Just taking a blood pressure when she is sitting will not tell them much about what happens when she is standing for any amount of time. They should have her stand a minimum of three minutes before taking a reading.”

James says the doctor took the blood pressure only while sitting down, and adds, “The trouble with many doctors is that you cannot tell them in what positions to measure the BP and other things. They will say that they know more than you.”

I’m sure that many people have felt this sort of dilemma with their doctors, and for good reason. A recent Science Daily report refers to a study revealing that more than 70 percent of health care workers failed to use the proper arm position established by the American Heart Association. This position calls for the elbow to be slightly flexed and held at heart level.

The Science Daily article also describes a study from the University of California, San Diego, in which 100 subjects were given six blood pressure readings in different positions. They found that when subjects were seated with the arm perpendicular to the body, hypertension was recorded in 22 percent. But when the same subjects held the arm parallel to the body, 41 percent showed BP readings indicating high blood pressure.

Given that many doctors simply prescribe medication to treat high blood pressure, this discrepancy found in this study is particularly disturbing. Clearly, James’ wife should have her blood pressure measured again, and more carefully.

But blood pressure might not be the root of her problem at all. A member named Glenn suggests that an ear infection could be causing the dizziness. And a member named Lynn who has had frequent ear infections asks if anyone might recommend natural products to treat such an infection.

A member named Omie suggests using hydrogen peroxide drops (three in each ear until it stops fizzing), while a member named Cindy posts this comment: “I’ve had a lot of ear infections in the past. Now, I swab my ears with Melaleuka Oil and take Olive Leaf capsules at the first indication. The problem doesn’t get a ‘foothold’ and is gone very quickly. Maybe it will work for you, too.”

If you’ve used natural treatments for ear infections, or if you have an experience with unexplained dizziness that might be useful to James’ wife, log onto our web site at www.hsionline.com, click on “Forum,” and join in with the discussion.

Other health care and nutrition topics being discussed on the Forum this week include:

• A good source of grass-fed beef?
• Olive leaf extract
• What’s the best detox cleanse?
• Magnesium
• What fingernails reveal about your health
• Most important supplements?