Witten on December 5th 2007
I am Megan Ford from Wiltshire aged 63.
I had BPPV - Benign, Paroxysmal, Positional, Vertigo, caused by a head injury, sustained in a road accident in 1962, when I was 18 years old. The impact displaced the otoconia, which are crystals of calcium carbonate, sometimes called ear rocks, in my left ear, thus allowing them to move around in the semi-circular canal in the ear.
The effects of BPPV started in the 1970's, in my mid thirties. The symptoms are, dizziness, disorientation and nausea.and it feels like being drunk or seasick. I was having 10 to 12 dizzy episodes a day, most lasting only seconds, but often the symptoms lasted for several days and twice, in 1980 and 1990 they lasted for months. All I could do when I had an "attack" was to lie in bed, propped up and keep still.
For 30 years I haven't been able to lie down flat, turn over in bed, always sleeping on my right side, tilt my head up or down or turn my head to the left. It is a very debilitating condition. During the last 30 years I've been given, through my doctors: pills, X-rays, a brain scan, traction and physiotherapy. I have been sent to see an orthopaedic surgeon and an ENT specialist. I have also paid for dozens of sessions with acupuncturists, chiropractors, reflexologists and physiotherapists. I was always told that it was due to damage to my upper spine, admittedly when I was dizzy I did have pain in my neck, but I now believe that was because of the rigid way I held my head during an attack. I was given a neck collar to wear, which did help, but only because it prevented me from moving my head!
In 2003 it was a private physiotherapist (Chris Smith) who diagnosed BPPV and he performed the Epley Manoeuvre (a positioning technique to move the otoconia to a less sensitive area of the ear). This series of movements made me feel very sick, but did work for a few weeks.
In July 2007 I saw Gary Mannion, a 19 year old, with no medical knowledge or experience, demonstrating psychic surgery in a tent in Somerset. I made an appointment with him on August 12th 2007. I was with Gary for 20 minutes. He just put his hands over my ears. I felt nothing. He told me the crystals in my ear would dissolve during the next few days. (It was interesting that he also said, as the crystals dissolved I may lose some hearing, which I had read could happen if they were removed surgically. I'm glad to say this didn't happen, but as I said at the time, I'd sooner be deaf in one ear than live as I was)
I was very careful at first, dreading the "seasickness", but gradually realised I was not having any episodes.
I can now lie down, turn over, de-cobweb my ceilings! Zip up my boots, get things out of the kitchen cupboards, have a bath instead of a shower and do everyday things too numerous to mention, things I have been unable to do for 30 years. Now 4 months after seeing Gary I haven't had even a fleeting bout of dizziness.
20 minutes with Gary and I've got my life back after 30 years at the age of 63. Eternal gratitude to Gary & Abraham.
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2nd visit
I returned to Gary on October 5th 07, 8 weeks later to reassure me that there were no crystals - this he did. I could now lie down on his couch! I had a spine injury from the same accident in 1962, but I also had high blood pressure. Gary said the blood pressure was a priority and again he treated me for 20 minutes, the treatment appearing to me to me much the same. I was taking 3 different pills a day and my BP was around 155-160/90-95. After 8 weeks and gradually reducing my pills as my BP dropped, I was taking 1 pill a day and my BP reading was 120-125/70-75.
(I do check my BP most days as I know it is dangerous to come of pills too quickly) Gary did not advise me.
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3rd visit
My next appointment was December 3rd07 for my spine. Gary diagnosed a twist and compacted vertebrae in the middle of my spine (around my bra line). I knew this to be true as I've had several x-rays. I lay on my front, which would have been impossible 4 months previously, and he worked on my spine, this was painless, but I could hear the vertebrae moving or grating - very weird sensation. He said I would have some pain for a few days and would need to see him once more for my neck. I did experience pain for 2 days and my back was generating a lot of heat.
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