A balance disorder caused by particles trapped in the semicircular canals which form part of the balance organs. These particles are usually crystals that have become detached from other parts of the inner ear. As the name indicates, the vertigo, which can be intense, comes on suddenly following certain movements of the head and comes and goes as clusters of attacks, and may have been present for many years.
Benign means not life threatening, paroxysmal means a brief burst, positional indicates the problem occurs with a certain body movement to a given position, and vertigo means a spinning sensation. BPPV is thought to be caused by loose particles or degenerative debris in the balance portion of the inner ear, which have migrated (moved) to an area in which they are not normally found. Certain body movements cause these particles to move, causing a perception of spinning dizziness.
balance disorder that results in a sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo that occurs when suddenly moving the head from one position to another.
balance disorder that results in sudden onset of dizziness, spinning or vertigo when moving the head. (Read about Vertigo in " Balance Disorders")
Mild, sudden onset of a spinning or dizzy sensation.
A condition in which violent, brief (seconds) episodes of spinning vertigo are provoked by moving the head into certain positions. The mechanism is abnormal densities, mainly displaced otoconia from the utricle, which collect in a posterior semicircular canal, where they shift position when the head is tilted. The diagnosis is made by observing typical nystagmus after the Hallpike maneuver. Treatment: the offending loose densities can be moved out of the semicircular canal with the Epley (canalith repositioning) maneuvers, thus controlling the symptoms.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or "Benign paroxysmal vertigo" (BPV) is a condition caused by problems in the inner ear.