What is BPPV and how is it treated?

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What is BPPV and how is it treated

A sense of spinning where a person loses his balance and feels dizzy is known as vertigo. The person experiencing vertigo spells feels like whether the room is spinning or he is spinning all by himself which in reality is static. If records are to be believed a large percentage of the population has experienced vertigo at least once in a lifetime irrespective of age and gender.

Sudden bouts of vertigo spells make it difficult for a person to live with it by causing hindrance in accomplishing daily chores. Vertigo is not an ailment itself, rather it is a symptom of various underlying conditions. Disorders and inflammation in the vestibular system and the brain or brain stem results in vertigo conditions.

BPPV Vertigo is the most common vertigo diagnosed in patients who complain about sudden bouts of vertigo spells that emerge without any warning signs.

A person suffering from BPPV vertigo experiences recurring episodes of vertigo. The slightest movement in the position of the head or the position of the body by getting up suddenly, bending over, etc. results in triggering BPPV vertigo symptoms and causing repeated episodes of vertigo bouts. The symptoms of BPPV vertigo even get triggered while sleeping for long hours and getting up suddenly in the morning with a stroke of vertigo sensations.

What is BPPV and how is it treated

BPPV stands for Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, it is caused by deposition of calcium crystals in the inner ear. The deposited calcium crystals block the vestibular nerve responsible for sending sensory signals from the inner ear to the brain that is responsible for regulating the balance of the body.

The unclear and disrupted messages result in making a person lose balance and feel dizzy all of a sudden. BPPV symptoms get triggered due to rolling over in bed all night, which makes the calcium crystals change their position thereby resulting in making you feel dizzy as soon as you get up in the morning.

Seeking medical help on time as soon as you start observing BPPV symptoms prevents repeated episodes of vertigo bouts. Mild conditions are treated well with certain alterations in lifestyles, modification in diet, vertigo exercises, and home remedies. If the case is intense and you are experiencing repeated vertigo spells frequently it is advised to consult an expert neurologist.

He will examine the condition closely by seeking a complete medical history and ask you to undergo a vertigo test or BPPV test to examine the accurate underlying cause. If you are diagnosed with BPPV, he will suggest the best BPPV treatment depending on the severity of the condition. He will prescribe a dose of certain vertigo medicine to ease the symptoms along with BPPV treatment exercises which should be practiced daily at home for up to 3 weeks for a speedy recovery.

👉🏻Signs & Symptoms of BPPV

A person experiencing BPPV vertigo experiences sudden vertigo spells accompanied by several symptoms which makes it difficult for a person to live with it. A Person suffering from BPPV experiences spinning sensations for less than a minute which subside eventually and may resurface again after some time. Symptoms of BPPV get triggered due to sudden movements in head and body positions making a person feel off-balance.

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Signs & Symptoms of BPPV

Some of the most common benign paroxysmal positional vertigo symptoms are:

  1. Dizziness or lightheadedness
  2. Spinning sensation known as vertigo triggered due to changes in the position of the head.
  3. Loss of equilibrium
  4. Nausea and Vomiting
  5. Abnormal and jerky eye movements known as nystagmus

It is advised to seek medical help to get the best BPPV treatment on time. Slight negligence may make your symptoms worse and make the situation complex. Consulting an expert neurologist on time helps in escalating your BPPV symptoms faster.

👉🏻BPPV treatment

Once you are diagnosed with BPPV vertigo by undergoing various vertigo tests, your doctor will prescribe you with certain vertigo medications as BPPV treatment. He will even prescribe certain repositioning maneuvers as per your condition that helps in repositioning deposited calcium crystals. In very rare cases, surgery is recommended when all the BPPV treatment fails to cure the condition. Let’s have a look at some of the most common BPPV treatments prescribed by doctors:

👉🏻Modification in dietary habits

Lack of vitamin D results in triggering BPPV symptoms even further. It is advised to include a diet rich in vitamin D in your daily meals to prevent BPPV symptoms from triggering any further. Orange juice, milk, fresh meat, egg yolk, etc. are rich sources of vitamins. Including any of these in daily diet helps in preventing BPPV vertigo and prevents symptoms from getting worse.

👉🏻Vertigo medicine to treat BPPV

If home remedies and modifications in the diet are not enough to control BPPV symptoms, your doctor may prescribe a dose of a certain drug to treat BPPV vertigo. Certain suppressants are not beneficial in treating BPPV as it only suppresses symptoms rather than healing it completely. Inner ear infection or inflammation is one of the most common BPPV causes that results in causing spinning sensations. Vertigo medicines like Vertin, Stugeron Forte, etc are generally prescribed by doctors if one is experiencing BPPV vertigo due to inner ear infection.

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👉🏻BPPV treatment exercises

Regular practice of suggested repositioning maneuvers with the right techniques and procedures helps in alleviating BPPV vertigo symptoms by repositioning calcium crystals in place. Practicing BPPV treatment exercises regularly for up to 3 weeks helps in speedy recovery. It is advised to practice certain maneuvers in the presence of another person as you may feel slightly dizzy just after completing it which may subside on its own after a few minutes. Here are some common BPPV treatment exercises prescribed by doctors:

👉🏻 Epley maneuver

The Epley maneuver is quite effective in treating BPPV vertigo as it helps in repositioning calcium crystals and is commonly suggested by doctors to treat the same. But it is not helpful in all cases of BPPV. Certain cautions are must while practicing

Epley Maneuver as it may make a person feel blurry or dizzy just after completing the set of exercises. It includes motions with head and body movements that should be practiced under expert guidance.

👉🏻Brandt Daroff Exercises

Brandt Daroff Exercises help in easing spinning sensations caused due to BPPV. Practicing Brandt Daroff Exercises helps in eliminating BPPV vertigo symptoms and prevent it from future occurrences as well. To achieve optimal results, the Brandt-Daroff exercise should be performed two to three times daily for several weeks. Primary symptoms of BPPV are treated well with Brand Daroff exercises.

Apart from it, the Semont maneuver, barbeque maneuver, and foster exercises are some other exercises that are generally suggested by doctors to treat BPPV vertigo depending on the symptoms and severity of the condition.

Consult your doctor as soon as you start observing any vertigo symptoms, to get yourself diagnosed for the underlying cause and get the right treatment on time.