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Home : Conditions : Region : Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

What Causes Dizziness?

One of the main causes of vertigo (or dizziness) is a condition known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).

The good news is that Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is relatively easy and quick to assess and fix.

What is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)?

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a disorder caused by problems in the inner ear. Its symptoms are repeated episodes of positional vertigo, that is, of a spinning sensation caused by changes in the position of the head.

In Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, dizziness is generally thought to be due to debris which has collected within a part of the inner ear. This debris can be thought of as "ear rocks", although the formal name is "otoconia".

Ear rocks are small crystals of calcium carbonate derived from a structure in the ear called the "utricle". While the saccule also contains otoconia, they are not able to migrate into the canal system. The utricle may have been damaged by head injury, infection, or other disorder of the inner ear, or may have degenerated because of advanced age.

BPPV is a Common Cause of Dizziness

About 20% of all dizziness is due to BPPV. While BPPV can occur in children, the older you are, the more likely it is that your dizziness is due to BPPV. About 50% of all dizziness in older people is due to BPPV. In a recent study, 9% of a group of urban dwelling elders were found to have undiagnosed BPPV.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Symptoms

The symptoms of BPPV include dizziness or vertigo, lightheadedness, imbalance, and nausea.

Activities which bring on symptoms will vary among persons, but symptoms are almost always precipitated by a change of position of the head with respect to gravity. Getting out of bed or rolling over in bed are common "problem" motions.

Because people with BPPV often feel dizzy and unsteady when they tip their heads back to look up, sometimes BPPV is called "top shelf vertigo." Women with BPPV may find that the use of a hairdresser's shampoo bowlbrings on symptoms. A Yoga posture called the "down dog", or Pilates are sometimes the trigger. An intermittent pattern is common. BPPV may be present for a few weeks, then stop, then come back again.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Treatment?

The good news is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) can be fixed very quickly. The common success rate is 75% after a single treatment and 90% after a second treatment.

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