1b Auditory and Vestibular Disorders

Question 1

What is BPPV?

Answer 1

benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Question 2

What happens in BPPV?

Answer 2

BPPV is a peripheral disorder where the otoliths (carbon crystals) from the utricle, detach from the maculae and float around the semi-circular canals.

Question 3

What causes the vertigo attacks seen in BPPV?

Answer 3

Otoliths are not supposed to be found in the semi-circular canals, so when they are floating there, they induce a bigger endolymph flow when the head move

Therefore movement of the head is processed by the brain as bigger as it actually is

Question 4

What movements will induce a large BPPV attack?

Answer 4

When the head moves fast = lying down and standing up

Question 5

Why are the attacks seen in BPPV short and intermittent?

Answer 5

They will be resolved when the endolymph settles (usually less than a minute) but will be recurrent

Question 6

What manouvers can be done to take the crystals back to the utricle

Answer 6

Epley or Semont

Question 7

What does BPPV affect?

Answer 7

The semi-circular canals - no hearing loss associated with BPPV

Question 8

Are there any symptoms experienced when standing still in patients with BPPV?

Answer 8

No