Benign Positional Vertigo is condition in which the person experiences sudden spinning sensation or sudden sensation of movement when moving the head. It is the most common cause for the vertigo. It occurs due to disturbance in the inner ear.

 

Vertigo means feeling sensation of spinning. It commonly occurs when the calcium particles which are normally present in the inner ear gets dislodged and move to the other part of the ear that is posterior semicircular canals which are responsible for balance. This particle forms sludge or a mass which increases the movement of fluid in the canal when the head changes its position. This causes the overstimulation of the nerves in the canal, making the brain to feel that the head is moving faster than the normal

Causes of BPV

• Idiopathic, cause unknown.
• Infection.

• Head injury

• Surgical injury to the labyrinth

Symptoms of Benign positional vertigo

• Spinning sensation in response to the changes in the head position.  The person affected will feel as if they, the surroundings’ or both are moving. It is commonly seen when the position of the head is changes’ as in turning over on the pillow during awakening in the morning or bending the head back ward while reaching a high shelf  triggering the vertigo. Vertigo occur sin episodes and occur with head movements during rolling over the bed, lying down, sitting up, leaning forward and turning the head in horizontal plane.

• Nausea and vomiting

• Jerking movements of eyes.

Tests and diagnosis

• Dix-Halpike maneuver
• EEG
• Electronystagmograpy
• CT head
• MRI head

• Caloric stimulation test

• Evoked auditory potential study

Treatment:

• Epley’s maneuver.
• Antihistamines.
• Anticholinergics.
• Sedatives-hypnotics