Benign Positional Vertigo
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Benign positional vertigo (BPPV) is a type of dizziness that usually occurs in conjunction with an upper respiratory infection or trauma, but may occur with other disease processes or in isolation. It is thought to result from the dislodgement of particles in the inner ear known as otoconia which then float in the ear fluid and bump into the microscopic hairs that regulate balance. When this occurs the hairs interpret the motion this generates as actual movement of the head and can make the person feel as if the room is spinning or like they are on a ship. These attacks of dizziness typically last a few seconds and can occur from just a few to many times throughout the day. As the name implies the attacks occur most frequently with head movement or while the patient is asleep at night. BPPV is diagnosed by a simple tests on physical examination and is usually treated with exercises (Brandt-Deroff or Eppley Maneuvers) designed to remove the otoconia from the middle ear. This treatment strategy when performed properly has a greater than 90% success rate of curing BPPV.
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