Insights into Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in the Elderly

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of recurrent vertigo and has a lifetime prevalence of 2.4% in the general population. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is caused when calcium carbonate material originating from the macula of the utricle falls into one of the semicircular canals. Due to their density relative to the endolymph, they move in response to grav...

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common and most treatable cause of vertigo. In most cases, a simple maneuver that takes less than a few minutes to do resolves the problem. BPPV is caused by misplaced calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) in the semicircular canal of the inner ear that have broken free from the utricle. When these crystals break free, they either remain l...

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Dizziness and vertigo are among the most frequently encountered symptoms in primary care, with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) being the commonest type of vertigo. Its clinical course may vary considerably from a self-treatable to a persisting and/or recurrent disabling problem, with as yet unidentified prognostic factors. Although it is named as such, there are a considerable numbe...

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a disorder of the peripheral vestibular system characterized by brief episodes of vertigo precipitated by head movements in certain planes. It is one of the most common causes of vertigo. Displaced otolithic debris in the posterior semicircular canal is the proposed mechanism of this disorder and explains the success of repositioning procedures in treatin...