Leigh Przibilla, 64, from Lakes Entrance is active – he’s the go-to handy-man in the family and he spends any spare time travelling, golfing and boating – all the usual ingredients for a retirement well lived in East Gippsland.
One thing Leigh wasn’t counting on though, was vertigo getting in the way of his retirement.
“I’ve had a couple of very serious vertigo attacks. It’s terribly debilitating, and I’ve been crook on and off for probably five or six years with vertigo,” he said.
The worst episode came during an overseas trip.
“It’s literally you’re standing in the middle of a room, and the walls are spinning around at 100 miles an hour,” he said.
“I’m feeling nauseous, I had to claw myself along the walls, climb along the floor, get into bed and I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow.”
It was by chance that a friend told Leigh that Gippsland Lakes Complete Health (GLCH) has a Neurological Physiotherapist, and that’s when he met Harriet Cook.
Harriet diagnosed Leigh with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and worked with him, through education and exercises, to help him recover from this type of vertigo.
This Balance Awareness Week, GLCH is raising awareness of BPPV. It is called BPPV because it is benign, it can occur without warning, it is brought on by a specific type of head movement and you can feel a sensation of spinning or a false sense of movement
“I’ve had fantastic support. And the thing was, the treatment worked. I’m very grateful. I wasn’t even aware there was a physio for vertigo – it opened up a whole new world to me,” Leigh said.
“Previously, even putting my head down to tie up my shoelaces – I’d nearly fall over and feel really sick.”
Today, Leigh is back doing all the things he loves, with confidence.
“I’ve had no episodes since treatment and touch wood, I’m very grateful. I’m doing everything I want to do and with confidence as well.”
GLCH is encouraging anyone experiencing vertigo or balance problems to seek help — but it’s important to know when to act quickly.
While many cases of vertigo, including BPPV, can be managed with physiotherapy, some types of vertigo require urgent medical attention.
“We have an amazing system to help us balance called our vestibular system in our inner ear, this apparatus detects head movements, which gives information to our brain so that we can balance,” Harriet said.
“We usually don’t even know how important this system is until it’s not working and we experience vertigo.”
“BPPV occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the vestibular apparatus become dislodged and create a sensation of vertigo.
While BPPV can feel alarming, it’s not dangerous – and the good news is that it’s often resolved with the help of a vestibular physiotherapist who can guide you through a series of head positions to move the calcium crystals in the vestibular apparatus back to where they should be
“Many people live with vertigo from BPPV unnecessarily,” Harriet said. “They might think it’s just part of getting older or something they have to put up with, but there are effective treatments available.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing vertigo, book an appointment with your GP or a physiotherapist trained in vestibular care.
“Vertigo caused from BPPV doesn’t have to control your life,” Harriet said. “With the right diagnosis and treatment, many people feel better in just one or two sessions.” For more information or to make an appointment, call Gippsland Lakes Complete Health on 5155 8370.