Physical Therapy for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

TLDR

The presumed mechanism for this therapy is the loosening and ultimate dispersion of degenerated otolithic particles from the cupula of the posterior semicircular canal. We treated 67 patients with BPPV by challenging them with the precipitating head positions on a repeated and serial basis. Sixty‑six patients achieved complete vertigo relief within 3–14 days, two had recurrence that responded to a second course, and one non‑responsive case was attributed to a perilymphatic fistula. Arch Otolaryngol 106:484‑485, 1980.

Abstract

• We treated 67 patients with the symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by challenging them with the precipitating head positions on a repeated and serial basis. Sixty-six of the patients experienced complete relief of the vertigo within three to 14 days; in two patients, the vertigo recurred but responded to a second course of therapy. The one patient whose condition did not respond was found to have a perilymphatic fistula that mimicked BPPV. The presumed mechanism for this therapy is the loosening and ultimate dispersion of degenerated otolithic particles from the cupula of the posterior semicircular canal. (<i>Arch Otolaryngol</i>106:484-485, 1980)