Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

Diagnosis

A variety of tests may be performed by your doctor to establish the reason of your dizziness. Your doctor will most likely look for the following during a physical exam:

• Experiencing dizziness during particular eye movements while lying on your back, with your head turned to one side and slightly tilted over the edge of the examination bed.
• Dizziness sensations that are triggered by eye or head movements and then subside in less than one minute
• Lack of control over the movement of your eyes
• Involuntary side-to-side eye movements

If your doctor is unable to identify the source of your symptoms, he or she may prescribe more tests, such as:

• Electronystagmography (ENG) or Videonystagmography (VNG). These tests are designed to detect abnormal eye movement. By measuring involuntary eye movements when your head is put in different postures or your balancing organs are stimulated with water or air, ENG (which uses electrodes) or VNG (which uses small cameras) might assist to determine if dizziness is caused by inner ear disorders.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A magnetic field and radio waves are used in this test to make cross-sectional images of your head and body. These photos can be used by your doctor to identify and diagnose a variety of illnesses. An MRI may be used to rule out other potential causes of vertigo.

Treatment

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo may resolve on its own after a few weeks or months. However, to help eliminate BPPV sooner, your doctor, audiologist, or physical therapist may treat you with a series of motions known as the canalith repositioning technique.

Canalith repositioning procedure

The canalith repositioning technique, which is done in your doctor’s office, consists of a series of physical movements to position your head. The idea is to transport particles from your inner ear’s fluid-filled semicircular canals into a little baglike open space (vestibule) that houses one of your otolith organs, where they won’t create problems and are more easily resorbed

After any symptoms or odd eye movements have stopped, each posture is kept for approximately 30 seconds. After one or two sessions, this method usually works.

Your doctor will almost certainly educate you how to execute the procedure on yourself so that you can perform it at home if necessary.

Surgery

When the canalith repositioning treatment fails, your doctor may propose surgery. A bone plug is utilized in this surgery to obstruct the area of your inner ear causing dizziness. The stopper inhibits the semicircular canal in your ear from responding to particle movements or head movements in general. Approximately 90% of canal plugging surgeries result in successful outcomes.

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