VERTIGO – BPPV
Have you or someone you know ever experienced brief episodes of vertigo which disappeared without treatment? If so, it may have been caused by a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. It may be a strange name, but you don’t have to worry. This condition is treatable and manageable.
Vertigo is the sensation of movement or the movement of surroundings when they are not. Often vertigo is described by patients as though the room is spinning uncontrollably and can be a very scary and unsettling experience. Patients most often report symptoms are worsened or brought on by rolling in bed or getting up from laying down or vice versa.
Benign – not life-threatening
Paroxysmal – sudden rapid onset, lasting short duration of 30-60 seconds
Positional – triggered by head movements/positions
Vertigo – perception of a false sense of movement
WHAT CAUSES BPPV ?
First, let’s briefly discuss the structure and location where BPPV occurs.
Located within our inner ear exists our ‘balance centre’ and this consists of three semicircular canals at right angles to each other. These canals are filled with fluid. When the head moves, movement of this fluid stimulates the nerve endings inside the canals telling the brain exactly how far, how fast and in what direction the head is moving.
BPPV is a mechanical problem in the balance centre of your inner ear. It occurs when crystals that are normally sitting in gel located in the sensory organ of your inner ear become dislodged and migrate into one or more of the three fluid-filled semicircular canals in your balance centre. When these free-floating crystals are displaced in the canals and the head is moved, they change the normal fluid movement of the canals. This fluid movement excites the nerve endings inside the canal causing false information to be sent to the brain that the head is moving, even though it isn’t. The brain misinterprets that the head is moving rapidly but it does not match what the other ear is sensing, what the eyes are seeing or what the muscles and joints are doing. The brain sends messages to the muscles around the eyes to keep the head focused. This causes the eyes to twitch rapidly and involuntarily creating the sensation of head spinning. Once your head stops moving the crystals eventually settle and the symptoms of spinning dizziness eases.
HOW IS BPPV DIAGNOSED ?
A trained health professional will first want a detailed history of your symptoms before they begin to do any physical tests. The purpose of the physical tests will be to reproduce some of your vertigo symptoms through movements of the head and neck. It is not uncommon for patients to experience nausea, vomiting, hot/cold flushes, or anxiety, which is why a detailed history of the symptoms you have experienced is very important.
HOW IS BPPV TREATED ?
BPPV can be effectively treated without medication in most cases by use of precise physical movements of the head and neck with speed. These are called canal repositioning manoeuvres, which work by redistributing the displaced crystals to an area where they do not cause vertigo.
BPPV TREATMENTS IN TOWNSVILLE
If you or someone you know is experiencing an episode of vertigo worsened by head movements, rolling in bed, etc. it might be worth considering an assessment for BPPV. Our Physiotherapists at Physio on Ross are trained to assess and treat for BPPV and will help get you back to feeling normal. For further queries please feel free to ring us at 47282116 or Book Directly Online Today
