Vertigo
Learn more about vertigo and how it is treated.
Overview
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common type of vertigo.
It is a benign (not life-threatening) balance disorder of the inner ear that causes sudden (or paroxysmal) episodes of mild to severe vertigo.
It is called positional vertigo because it is triggered by changes to your head’s position. These positions include tipping your head up or down, lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed.
Symptoms come and go and usually last for less than a minute. Episodes can also disappear for some time and then recur.
Symptoms of BPPV
The following signs and symptoms may indicate that you have vertigo:
- Dizziness
- Jumping eyes (known as nystagmus)
- Loss of balance or unsteadiness
- Nausea and / or vomiting
Causes
BPPV is caused by tiny calcium crystals, called otoconia, dislodging from their normal location in a sensory organ in the inner ear called the utricle.
These crystals then float into the semicircular canals of the ear, where they can cause shifts that lead to dizziness and nausea.
Managing at home
The most effective treatments for BPPV are physical maneuvers (movements) that reposition and remove the crystals from the semicircular canal. One of the most effective maneuvers is called the Epley maneuver.
If your right ear is the affected ear, the steps are as follows:
- Sit up in bed, with a pillow behind you. Make sure there is enough room behind you to lay down. When you lay down, your shoulders should be on the pillow.
- Turn your head to the right side and lie back. Stay in this position for about one minute or until your symptoms stop.
- Without lifting your head, turn your head to the left side for about one minute.
- Turn your whole body to the left side and continue to turn your head so your nose is pointing to the floor next to the bed for about one minute.
- Sit up slowly on the left side, with your legs hanging over the edge of the bed, and tilt your head forward for about one minute.
If your left ear is the affected ear, the steps are as follows:
- Sit up in bed, with a pillow behind you. Make sure there is enough room behind you to lay down. When you lay down, your shoulders should be on the pillow.
- Turn your head to the left side and lie back. Stay in this position for about one minute or until your symptoms stop.
- Without lifting your head, turn your head to the right side for about one minute.
- Turn your whole body to the right side and continue to turn your head so your nose is pointing to the floor next to the bed for about one minute.
- Sit up slowly on the right side, with your legs hanging over the edge of the bed, and tilt your head forward for about one minute.
Your health-care provider will review the Epley maneuver with you for your affected ear. Follow the guidance provided by your care team, which may include a routine of performing the maneuver three times a session, for three sessions a day until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
Please see the guide in the additional resources section for more information on how to perform the Epley maneuver.
When to return to the ED
Return to the Emergency Department if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- New, different or severe persisting dizziness
- New, different or severe headache
- Fevers
- Loss or change in vision
- Difficulty speaking
- Numbness or tingling
- Leg/arm weakness or difficulty walking
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
Additional resources
These evidence-based resources provide more information about BPPV:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A brochure on BPPV from our colleagues at the University Health Network.