Are you getting dizzy all of a sudden?

BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)

Author: Jean Zhang

Figure 1 https://vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorders/types-vestibular-disorders/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo

Our balance is made up of three components – our inner ear (vestibular system), proprioception (from our muscles) and vision. BPPV is one of the most common causes of vertigo and is caused when tiny crystals (otoconia) in our inner ear become displaced. BPPV is not life-threatening and can be treated by a trained physiotherapist.

The main symptom of BPPV is vertigo (a sense of spinning) which may be triggered by getting out of bed, rolling over or quick head movements. The triggers for BPPV are unknown. Many people report waking up with it or in conjunction with head trauma.

With BPPV, the displaced crystals in our inner ear causes false information to be sent to the brain. As this doesn’t match up with what our vision and proprioception systems are reporting, our brain translates this into short spells of vertigo lasting up to a minute. Between these dizzy spells, people may be completely symptom-free or experience mild imbalance/dizziness.

If you are experiencing short bursts of dizziness, a trained physiotherapist can perform a vestibular assessment in order to determine whether BPPV is likely to be causing your symptoms. If so, they may perform a series of manoeuvres aiming to return the otoconia to their normal position and assign some vestibular exercises as part as treatment. If your symptoms do not appear to be able to be treated by physiotherapy, we may refer onwards for further assessment by your GP or a specialist.