You've heard me talk for many years now about how much respect and genuine friendship I have for my dentist Dr. John Theriot and Theriot Family Dental Care.

Not only is Dr. T a great friend, he and his entire crew are dedicated to keeping my teeth healthy. I do genuinely enjoy going to the dentist except for one thing. I get very dizzy when I have to lean back in the chair for my cleaning and examination.

I was reading online about the condition and I see that I am not alone. Even though the idea of reclining in a soft comfortable chair sounds inviting there is something about the change of position that really messes up some people's sense of balance. They get dizzy and disoriented. I have even become nauseous.  Based on what I read online me and many others suffer from a malady of the inner ear.

If you're not aware the inner ear helps control our balance. That's why ear infections can make you feel dizzy too. In my case the change of position affects the fluids in the inner ear and tiny crystals that float within that fluid. These crystals can sometimes find their way into the wrong part of the inner ear and that sends a false signal to the brain. These false signals are what manifest in the dizzy feeling.

Obviously I am not a doctor, nor is this article intended to be a diagnosis of anything that you may have experienced. However, maybe you have the same or similar issues I do and maybe this will lead you to discuss the situation with your doctor or dentist. They can find a way to help keep you comfortable during your exam.

Dr. Theriot and his staff are wonderful with me. I know this makes it  more difficult for them to do their job but they never lean me too far back. They raise themselves up. They are simply the best when it comes to making their patients feel comfortable. They always make sure my head is propped up. They always check on me and make sure I am feeling great. To be honest they get me so comfortable I have fallen asleep during dental procedures many times.

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