DIZZINESS / VERTIGO / BPPV

There are, of course, many types of dizziness. Dizziness maybe generated from your neck (cervicogenic vertigo), you could have an infection such as labyrinthitis causing dizzziness.

A very recent study (February 2013: Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics) investigated patients with persistent benign paroxysmal positional dizziness/ vertigo (BPPV).

The patients underwent the Epleys Maneuver and they all demonstrated a reduction in symptoms with chiropractic management.

Between 17% and 42% with persistent Vertigo suffer from BPPV and it is more common in women than in men. In most cases we don’t know why there is Benign Positional Paroxysmal Dizziness / Vertigo (BPPV) but in 10%-17% it is posttraumatic (such as after a whiplash).

The predominant theory for the pathophysiology is that canalithiasis whereby canaliths (calcium carbonate crystals) enter a semicircular canal and become trapped. The trapped otoliths cause inertial changes via a current of endolymph and produce abnormal stimulation of the ear with head motion and the end result is vertigo and nystagmus.

As primary care practitioners chiropractors often see people with vertigo so it is something we are well versed with.