Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Effective diagnosis and treatment

Shayna R Cole; Julie A Honaker

doi:10.3949/ccjm.89a.21057

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Effective diagnosis and treatment

Cleve Clin J Med. 2022 Nov 1;89(11):653-662. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.89a.21057.

Authors

Shayna R Cole¹, Julie A Honaker²

Affiliations

¹ Vestibular Clinical Audiologist, The Balance Center, Fort Wayne, IN.
² Section Head, Audiology, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH honakej@ccf.org.

PMID: 36319052
DOI: 10.3949/ccjm.89a.21057

Abstract

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), caused by wayward crystals ("rocks") in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, is the most common cause of brief symptoms of vertigo secondary to head and body movements. Diagnosing and treating it are simple to do in the medical office. This article reviews the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with dizziness and vertigo, the pathophysiology of BPPV, how to diagnose it using maneuvers to elicit symptoms and nystagmus, how to interpret the nystagmus pattern to determine where the rocks are, and how to treat it using different maneuvers to reposition ("roll") the rocks back where they belong.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo* / diagnosis
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo* / therapy
Dizziness
Humans
Nystagmus, Pathologic* / diagnosis
Patient Positioning
Semicircular Canals