Dr. Noll has treated hundreds of patients for Vertigo using the Epley Maneuver technique. The majority of patients with vertigo are cured with just one treatment, and this success rate improves with repeated treatments. If you are suffering from this debilitating condition, contact us to make an appointment for evaluation and treatment.

What is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo?

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is an inner ear condition that causes brief, but severe, room-spinning vertigo episodes.

The terms Benign, Paroxysmal, Positional and Vertigo best explain this distressing and incapacitating condition:

• Benign: A not-progressive condition
• Paroxysmal: Sudden and unpredictable in onset
• Positional: Episodes are caused by a change in the head position
• Vertigo: A sense of dizziness or spinning

This inner ear condition often begins after a person has suffered a head trauma, a severe cold or simply as a part of the aging process.

The inner ear contains fluid which allows the brain to sense movement and maintain balance. The cause of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a dislodgement of small calcium carbonate crystals, known as octonia, that then float in the inner ear fluid. These crystals strike against the sensitive nerve endings and cause the symptoms of BPPV.

What are the symptoms of BPPV?

Severe but brief episodes of dizziness, without hearing loss or ringing in the ears, is a common symptom of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

The condition usually starts suddenly, and is often first noticed when waking from sleep. Episodes are triggered by changes in the position of the head. It is not unusual for for nausea and vomiting to accompany the vertigo.

Will the BBPV condition go away on its own?

If left untreated the condition usually clears within several weeks to several months.

A simple test can be performed in our office to confirm the diagnosis of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Once a diagnosis of BPPV has been confirmed, Dr. Noll can treat the vertigo condition using the Epley Maneuver technique. The vertigo condition can usually be corrected in one to two treatments.

To prevent a recurrence of the BPPV condition, Dr. Noll will give the patient instructions on positions to temporarily avoid.

The Epley or Semont Maneuver

The Otolith Repositioning Procedure of Semont and Epley is a simple and well-tolerated technique that will cure Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in the majority of patients.

This well accepted technique moves the patient into various positions, using gravity to move the calcium carbonate crystals away from the nerve endings and into an area of the inner ear where they will do no further harm.  See "What can cause BPPV"

Additional Information About BPPV

University of California, San Diego - BPPV Information for Patients at:
surgery.ucsd.edu/ent/PatientInfo/info_bppv.html

Noll Chiropractic     Phone: (760) 726 1211    Email: info@nollchiropractic.com