Natural medicine with Megan Sheppard: Vertigo and mercury fillings

This week, Megan Sheppard naturally solves your problems with mercury dental fillings and vertigo.

My grandmother has had trouble with her balance and suffering bouts of vertigo following a serious case of the flu some months back. Her doctor has told us that it is Meniere’s disease and has prescribed medication to help with the dizziness. He also mentioned that there is no cure for this disease. Is there anything else we can do?

It sounds highly likely that your grandmother’s vertigo symptoms occurred as a result of a viral infection that has caused inflammation in the inner ear and subsequently reduced the blood flow within that region.

Lemon bioflavonoids have been shown to be effective in dilating capillaries and small blood vessels. It is important that you find a pure lemon bioflavonoid product rather than the other citrus bioflavonoids as there is a constituent in lemon rind called eriocitrin (also called eriodictyol) that is the key factor. While this constituent is also present in other foods, it is only lemon rind that provides effective therapeutic benefit.

There are a number of other natural remedies that hundreds of sufferers of Meniere’s recommend to provide relief from symptoms. Though there is no known ‘cure’ as such, it is worth finding out what has worked well for others, even if it is still anecdotal evidence at this point.

The most successful natural approach seems to be what is known as “The John of Ohio Meniere’s Regimen”. Rather than going into the details here, as it is far more in depth than the scope of this article, I would suggest that you read up online at a couple of US websites:

• menieresfoundation.org/johnsregimen.htm
• overcomingmenieresdisease.com

Acupuncture is a valuable treatment to consider also, specifically to improve circulation and balance, but also in dealing with the stress and anxiety that frequently affects sufferers. The other ‘hands-on’ approach that is reported to be a useful tool in managing symptoms is manipulation of the spine through osteopathy, craniosacral therapy, or chiropractic treatment. No doubt your doctor will have already suggested dietary changes, the most important of which is to try and avoid salt, caffeine, deep fried foods, and alcohol. Gluten and dairy may be a trigger in some people, so it is worth seeing if these are factors for your grandmother.

I am looking into having my mercury fillings removed as I believe they may be one of the reasons why I am prone to migraines. I have read a lot of information on the dangers of amalgam and have discussed this with my dentist, however he believes it is safer to leave them rather than disturbing the fillings. What do you think?

It’s important to research this topic as possible and come up with a decision that you are comfortable with rather than following specific advice regarding either side of the debate.

The late Dr Jack Levenson, dental surgeon and founder of the British Society for Mercury-Free Dentistry and author of Menace in the Mouth?, found strong evidence linking mercury in amalgams to a number of health conditions. Conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, migraines, chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, infertility (in both men and women), antibiotic resistance, joint and muscle pain, impaired immune function, hair loss and excessive hair growth, visual disturbances, numbness, tingling, and tremors.

Should you decide to have your amalgam fillings removed, it’s vital to work with a clinic experienced in the safe removal of mercury from the mouth.

Look for dental practices that follow the IAOMT protocols for safe and effective mercury removal and ask your dentist to guide you through the whole process of preparing your body before, during, and after the procedure.

• Visit the IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) online at www.iaomt.org for more information.