Never let it be said that you can’t learn anything from the Internet. According to a new study published in the journal Neurology, people suffering from vertigo may find instant relief from watching YouTube videos. Apparently, there's no shortage of instructional videos on dizziness treatments online.
Researchers looked at over 3,000 videos on vertigo treatments and found 33 focused on the Epley maneuver--a simple technique that helps prevent vertigo. Out of those videos, 64 percent seemed to have it down pat and could be useful references for people with a kind of vertigo called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). "This type of vertigo can be treated easily and quickly with a simple maneuver called the Epley maneuver, but too often, the maneuver isn't used," says study author Dr. Kevin Kerber, of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.
Interestingly, not all videos were created by amateurs. In fact, the most popular Epley video was created by the American Academy of Neurology, proving that YouTube has definitely revolutionized the way people send and receive information. Despite having all these resources online, researchers urge patients to call their doctor should they feel anything untoward or out of the ordinary. Vertigo, while far from cancer, may have underlying causes which would be better explained by a medical professional.
(Photo by sean dreilinger via Flickr Creative Commons)
