All aboute Bppv

When a change of position of your head, such as rolling over in bed, produces extreme dizziness, you need to check and see if you have a condition called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is not uncommon, touching a couple of million people each year in the United States, for example.

Symptoms of BPPV

The vertigo caused by BPPV differs from more serious conditions because the symptoms pass after seconds or minutes and can result from only a simple change in position. BPPV does not cause numbness or weakness. People who have BPPV can often pinpoint the exact movement of the head that brings on the symptoms. If think you have BPPV, consult a medical professional to get a sound diagnosis.

Cause of BPPV

BPPV results when calcium crystals in the ear move from their normal position in the utricle to a spot in a semicircular canal that controls balance. In this abnormal spot, these “ear rocks” cause a fluid displacement that produces vertigo. A head injury or infection can cause BPPV, as well as a deterioration of the utricle among people older than 50. Doctors use a test called the Dix-Hallpike Maneuver to diagnose BPPV. 

Treatments for BPPV

Two treatments for BPPV that have brought relief to many are: 1) the Canalith Repositioning Procedure (CRP), and, 2) the Sermont Maneuver. The CRP is favored in the U.S., while the Sermont Maneuver has gained popularity in Europe. The CRP is comprised of a series of movements that use gravity to dislodge the ear crystals from their position. In other cases, drugs (such as antihistamines) are prescribed to treat more persistent cases of BPPV.

In both the CRP and the Sermont Maneuver, the patient’s head is turned toward and away from the affected ear in an attempt to use sudden motion and gravity to dislodge the crystals. The patient often lies down, turns, then rises to a sitting position to try and move the ear rocks. Both treatments enjoy a 90% success rate for relieving BPPV.

Both of these treatments can be performed at home once a person masters the movements. Many patients repeat the movements every day to ward off BPPV. Other treatment options in recent days have included a rotational chair that also uses gravity to move the ear crystals and a home device that rotates the patient to achieve similar results.

Finding Help for BPPV

If your family doctor does not have experience with BPPV, you would be wise to look for a physiotherapist or audiologist. These types of doctors specialize in management of dizziness and most know all about BPPV and effective treatments to combat it. If your health professional does not know about the CRP or the Sermont Maneuver, there are many websites that give detailed instructions (and videos) on how to perform the movements and find relief.

Read more at: http://canalithrepositioning.com/bppv