Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Brief episodes of severe vertigo caused by sudden head movements.

Microscopic debris located in the posterior semicirrcular canal are thought to be the cause, no effective medications are available as yet.

Treatment involves postural retraining using sequence of predetermined head movements in order to move the microscopic debris from the posterior semicirrcular canal in the inner ear.

This is called the Epley manoeuvre. Another technique used in the treatment of BPPV is the Semont liberating manoeuvre, which involves a series of head and body movements used to move the debris from the posterior semicirrcular canal in the inner ear.

Avoiding provocative positions is important, as BPPV occurs when the patient lies on one earor the other or tips their head backwards to look up.

It eases when BPPV lasts a year, atympanotomy can be performed to divide the nerve to the posterior semicirrcular canal of the affected ear, this can provide relief, however there is potential to cause deafness.

AMH 2010
MERCK MANUAL

How To Treat Vertigo

Vertigo is a disease which manifests sudden postural imbalance and dizziness. The person may suddenly feel the symptoms but will get back to their normal state after the episode of vertigo. However vertigo is a serious disease as it increases the risk factor for some of the serious disorders such as strokes and tumors. There are different types of vertigo such as peripheral vertigo, objective vertigo and central vertigo, hence, the treatment of the vertigo is a necessity as it may lead to severe imbalance problems.
(more…)

Is Your Dizziness Vertigo?

One of the most frequently experienced medical conditions is the very common “Dizziness”. However not many people know that there are several degrees to this which is determined by the level of dizziness experienced by the patient. There are four main categories of dizziness and the main and most regularly reported type is vertigo. Five in every ten cases of dizziness reported fall into this category of vertigo. The other three types include, near-syncope, dysequilibrium, and psychophysiologic.
(more…)

Dizziness- When the Labyrinth Loses Balance

Dizziness can be a common dysfunction of the human immune system. Dizziness is characterized by several symptoms. The most common sign of dizziness is the sense of the surrounding world going round even as one stands or sits at one place. This type of neurological dizziness is quite different from the dizziness one feels after riding a merry-go-round, for instance. The latter is a forced effect while the former is a disease that needs prompt attention of the physician. Proper medical care and medications can definitely lessen the recurring incidences of dizziness symptoms. (more…)

Meniere’s Disease

• A disease of the inner ear which involves episodes of vertigo, deafness, tinnitus (buzzing in the ear) & hearing loss is not easily treated.
• Restrict salt intake to 3g or less each day, avoid cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine & CNS stimulants
• Acute Tx : Prochlorperazine, antihistamines
• Long term control Betahistine (Serc) diaretics
• Surgery is an option for patients who fail medical therapy
• Gentamicin injections sometimes used