Did You Know…???
- BPPV stands for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.
- It is an intense type of dizziness which occurs with certain movements of the head.
- It is the most common cause of dizziness, and fortunately can be treated by a medical professional.
- The most common cause of BPPV is a head trauma
- It occurs when crystals are dislodged from our utricle, which is one of two organs which detect linear motions and is sensitive to gravity. The crystals/otoconia are made from calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
- If the crystals become dislodged, they can accidentally end up in one of our semicircular canals. We have three semicircular canals in each ear with detect movements of our head
- If the crystals become loose, they cause dizziness symptoms, which looks as if the room is spinning
- BPPV is very easy to test for. It does not require any imaging to identify BPPV as the cause of dizziness
- Your ENT or Physical Therapist can treat for BPPV by performing maneuvers to relocate the crystals and resolve your dizziness symptoms
- In some cases, crystals may be found in multiple canals, and both ears. This requires multiple maneuvers to be performed
- This type of dizziness usually lasts for a matter of seconds
- However, the dizziness although brief is intense. It can also cause feelings of nausea and vomiting, along with feeling unsteady. For this reason, it also puts you at a higher risk for falling.
If you are having any kind of dizziness symptoms, especially that which sounds like BPPV, you should call your ENT or Physical Therapist to begin treatment . To schedule your evaluation, call (240) 361-9000