BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) is a condition that develops from changes in the ear. These changes can lead to very severe vertigo and sensation of spining. The vestibular system in the body helps you balance and know where your head is positioned. Vertigo creates a sensation of spinning and can make being upright or moving your head miserable. .
The Ear is important for hearing and balance. Damaging to the ear function can lead to BPPV.
Each vestibular organ contains the utricle, saccule, and three semicircular canals. The canals are filled with a fluid that provides information to your brain about rotating head movements. Some people get tiny crystals of calcium carbonate in this liquid. If that happens, the brain is sent signals that you are moving even if your body is still.
The ear is responsible for both hearing and balance. The ear is made up of outer, middle, and inner portions and each section has a specific job. The inner ear is made up of both cochlear (in charge of hearing) and vestibular organs. The vestibular organs sense head position and movement with the help of tiny hair cells that move when you change your head position. This information is used to adjust your eye movements and posture.
People who have experienced a head injury are more likely to develop BPPV. Having a virus, being older than age 50 or being inactive for a long time can also cause BPPV. Your therapists are trained in ways to improve your vertigo through specific head movements and exercises that you can do at home. Sometimes the therapy can unsettle the fluid and make the vertigo worse. However, appropriate therapy should be be very effective for relief and correct of BPPV and Vertigo.
