Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of positional dizziness or vertigo in the community. The major symptom of BPPV is sudden vertigo caused by changes in head position including: turning in bed, lying down with head extended, looking up, looking down, or any sudden changes in head position. Other symptoms of BPPV include spinning sensations, dizziness, loss of balance or unsteadiness, nausea, and vomiting. Most often there is no specific cause for BPPV, but at times it could be due to a blow to the head such as a fall. Inside your inner ear, there is a labyrinth system that monitors positional sense, this labyrinth system consists of 3 semicircular canals that contain fluid and hair-like sensors, and otoconia which are crystal-like objects that detect movements in the linear plane. These otoconia are dislodged into the semicircular canals which cause BPPV and the vertigo symptoms.
At Premier, we have staff with experience treating these conditions. BPPV falls under a niche considered vestibular rehabilitation. Treatment for BPPV includes canalith repositioning maneuvers such as an Epley maneuver. Patients with BPPV, usually also present with a vestibular hypo-function due to the unaffected ear having to compensate for the dysfunction on the affected side. A vestibular hypo-function is a dysfunction in either the visual, vestibular, or somatosensory system and at times could be a combination. Treatment for vestibular hypo-function includes adaptation, habituation, and substitution activities. We believe in implementing these treatments in combination with the latest research in this unique field to address your conditions to improve your quality of life!
– Miguel Silva, PT, DPT
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