BPPV – Why am I dizzy and can it be treated?

By: Andréa Kristoff, PT

When people describe dizziness, they often call it vertigo.  Vertigo is defined as a medical condition that causes a false sense of motion, such as spinning, whirling, or moving, when you or your surroundings are not actually moving.  These symptoms can be brought on by several different factors, but a common one involves the ears.  Inside the inner ear is your Vestibular System, your balance system.  Within this system, there are tiny otoconia, calcium carbonate crystals, that help with your spatial awareness and balance.  If these “crystals” get dislodged from a fall, car accident, trauma, infection, or age, they move into the canals (where they are NOT supposed to be) and cause a reaction which is felt as a sensation of motion or spinning. This is referred to as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.  

People who are experiencing BPPV report a sudden spinning sensation with certain positions of the head that lasts for a few seconds up to ~ 1 minute. These symptoms are typically repeated over several days to weeks with certain movements. Motions such as tipping the head up and back, rolling over to the side in bed, getting up from bed, and bending over and standing back up are the most common movements that stir up the “crystals” and provoke vertigo symptoms.  Although these symptoms are scary, this is not a serious problem. However, if symptoms are persistent and causing other symptoms or problems, you may need to seek emergency care. Some other associated symptoms include: lightheadedness, blurry vision, nystagmus (involuntary eye movements), nausea and vomiting, and balance issues. The unsteadiness that is felt may put a person at a higher risk for falls. BPPV can be treated by an experienced physical therapist by a simple maneuver, typically in a few visits.  The maneuver(s) used by the PT are to get the “crystals” to move out of the canal and back into the “housing zone”, the utricle.  

Your KC Bariatric Physical Therapists are trained and experienced in treating BPPV, if you are experiencing vertigo symptoms, please reach out and make an appointment.