I just searched the forum here for other threads about gingko.

I have shocking vertigo and don't want to take certain other pharmacy medications and this preparation was suggested but it doesn't make much sense to me.

The thing is that it's supposedly for "Tinnitus, Vertigo, Blood and Peripheral Circulation, Cognitive Function". I'm not really understanding the blood and peripheral circulation thing in the same phrase as vertigo.

Do I take this hoping it will help or do I toss it?

Here's the info on the pack.
The unique proprietary Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761
Ginkgo biloba 120mg ext (50.1)dry leaf. Equiv. dry leaf 6g
Standardised to 3.5mg bilobalide and 3.7mg ginkgolides.

EDITED TO ADD: Oh, it says on the box that this particular one "EGb 761 has been shown through clinical research that it may assist in the symptomatic relief and management of tinnitus and vertigo". I guess I should go see if I can find that now.

OK, I did find some articles in PubMed. One is of interest to me but it's in German, so I'll have to sort that out. A couple of the other articles talked about 'startle response' and 'the state of vigilance' as well, which is interesting to me as I get panic attacks. wow. I didn't think they were related.

Lara, if your vertigo is long standing...you may have this.

There are movement/exercises that help reset your inner ear.
Have you found those on the net?

They really work.
example:
http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/d...bppv/bppv.html

Ginkgo has a claim that it improves circulation. Recently it was found that this herb did not do well in Alzheimer studies.

It does increase bleeding tendencies, so if anyone is using an SSRI or aspirin etc take care.

Do you see a doctor regularly? The reason I ask is that you could ask for a trial of Imdur (isosorbide mononitrate). I have just started this for my blood pressure and it is working really well for my cold hands and feet (nice side effect). It would be much more effective for any circulatory ear problems.

I have always had fluid in my ears...allergic chronic otitis media. This can lead to dizziness for me, usually in spells.
Since the ENT drained both ears with a needle (a very unpleasant experience) I have had leakage now and then. This has is bothersome, but my vertigo attacks have stopped.
Singulair really helps with this, but for me I developed a depression while taking it, and now it is reported publically to cause depression. That really bummed me out!

If you have benign positional vertigo, I don't think the Ginkgo will be of much use. But if you have a poor circulatory reason for your dizziness, then it may.

Other things that improve circulation are:
L-arginine (but this can also flare herpes in some people)

Vitamin E (get the natural one that includes gamma)

Niacin (sustained release OTC forms should be monitored by a doctor)

Hawthorn-- use this carefully.

I would also try curcumin. This is an anti-inflammatory getting alot of attention recently. It is showing reduction of endothelial inflammation (the lining of blood vessels). It also is very helpful in the Parkinson's community, and has other antioxidant/anti-inflammatory actions for arthritis etc.
Curcumin is poorly absorbed. Taking it with oil or fat, or other capsules containing absorption aids like Bioperine or fish oil, enhance the absorption. I am using Curcu-gel ultra right now, which has been shown in studies to be well absorbed.

The ear is really sensitive.
I developed a severe vertigo while taking Glucophage (Metformin) several years ago. I was a great drug for me in other ways, but I got so dizzy and it took over 6mos to heal up..I had to discontinue the drug. I could hardly walk or look up for 6 long months!

So I understand completely.

Thank you so much for what you wrote.
My vertigo came on after a head injury. Started after a concussion. The doctor told me about the head movements and something to do with crystals or broken bone in the ear.

I thought that was strange at the time but I was talking to two different friends about this. One got the vertigo after a head injury and the head movements thing worked a charm. The other actually turned out to have Meniere's Disease, and is on some new medication that has basically stopped her vertigo completely.

For about a year I couldn't go anywhere except in a wheelchair. Shopping was a nightmare, but now I'm fine almost 90% of the time and get around pretty well. It's a very scary feeling this vertigo. I guess I should head back to the doctor and talk about it some more. I think I'll ask for referral this time to an ENT.

Lara,
your c1 & c2 the top spinal vertebra could have gotten misaligned from the injury.
some info on that-
http://www.upcspine.com/self.htm
http://www.uppercervical.org/subpag...b/about_faq.php
http://www.spineuniverse.com/index.html

spinal chart
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post284498-35.html


I was also having some vertigo/dizzy spells last August and it was due to chronic sinus allergies - the Veramyst nasal spray and a week of allergy tabs took care of it.

whoa. Quite a few in that 1st url resemble me.
I have spinal issues anyway, but hadn't thought of the head injury making them worse and that affecting my balance.

2nd url doesn't work, Jo
EDITED to add: I found the main site though and will look through that. thankyou.

Thanks for posting those very much indeed.

I still can't ever forget how much your posts helped me years back regarding my cubital tunnel problems. I'd been using a brace (prescribed) and it was actually making it worse and once I started doing those exercizes you posted somewhere (I forget where now lol) then it eventually almost totally resolved.

I read the posts about the allergies but it's not that. This is very long standing... but as I said, it's all so much better than it was immediately after the concussion. Everything was put down to post-concussion syndrome then, but I'm thinking this residual vertigo has a different source. Then again, after some reading I just did in useful websites in another forum here, it's maybe still part of the PCS.

I'm not going to take the Ginko!

thanks!

I can help you with the german translation part of your post.

I have had to translate several languages. I have many friends who write to me in various languages.

I just go to this website:

http://translation2.paralink.com/

Kind of tricky to navigate but once you know what you're doing, it's as easy as pie.

Go to the left part and you'll see languages. If the language you want to translate is NOT on the left side, go to the right side (where it says) MORE LANGUAGES!!

Then you click on it and you'll be prompted to put in your email and password. (I do this every time I have to translate from italian to english.

Then a screen pops up.

Select GERMAN to ENGLISH.

Then (I assume you know how to copy and paste right?).

Simply paste the German text into the first box,

hit the TRANSLATE BUTTON,

and VOILA!!! you'll see the English Translation.

I do this every day so I can do it in my sleep.

The people who live downstairs and who speak only Italian (I can speak it but they LIVE in language), well they are away visiting family in another state. The husband is 82 AND LOVES THE COMPUTER which I set up for him.

So he emails me (in italian), all the time.

I just go to that website, translate what he says.

Then, I want to respond to him.

So I just do it backwards.

I select ENGLISH TO ITALIAN,
I then type in whatever I wish, I click TRANSLATE, and BOOM, there it is in italian.

Best thing I ever discovered.

It IS kind of tricky to navigate the first time.

But believe me, once you know how it works, you can do this in your sleep.

So go and translate that information.

lol

P.S. I just checked for you and all you have to do is go on the LEFT side. You CAN select GERMAN to ENGLISH.
Should be easy.

Melody

i had a strange reaction to arginine kinda made my muscle tone dampen, and made me sweat more etc. i never tried ginkgo, but I'm sure it does help with circulation, but probably not so much memory.

Melody, thank you very much for your post, and yes, I do know how to copy and paste. LOL!!! I used to use Babel something or other. I forgot about trying a translation programme to understand that paper I need to read. Thankyou! I could have asked one of my daughter's friends from uni, but he's only just gone back to Germany.

Thanks, bruegger. I'm not sure I have anything wrong with my circulation really. Not that has ever shown up anyway. I've put the packet of EGb 761 aside for the moment. Just wish I'd not bought it as it was not cheap.

wow, more and more information I'm reading about balance and anxiety issues.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/01...iety/3692.html

hi lara
i am new to this site. i was diagnosed with meniere's in june 2008. i am taking serc. this drug has reduced the severity of the vertigo attacks. i often have rushing noise in my ear and i am always worried that a vertigo attack will follow. is there a more homeopathic route or other effective meds? ie acupuncture or ...anything...this has really reduced the quality of my life. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks...