1b Auditory and Vestibular Disorders Flashcards
What is BPPV?
benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
What happens in BPPV?
BPPV is a peripheral disorder where the otoliths (carbon crystals) from the utricle, detach from the maculae and float around the semi-circular canals.
What causes the vertigo attacks seen in BPPV?
Otoliths are not supposed to be found in the semi-circular canals, so when they are floating there, they induce a bigger endolymph flow when the head move
Therefore movement of the head is processed by the brain as bigger as it actually is
What movements will induce a large BPPV attack?
When the head moves fast = lying down and standing up
Why are the attacks seen in BPPV short and intermittent?
They will be resolved when the endolymph settles (usually less than a minute) but will be recurrent
What manouvers can be done to take the crystals back to the utricle
Epley or Semont
What does BPPV affect?
The semi-circular canals - no hearing loss associated with BPPV
Are there any symptoms experienced when standing still in patients with BPPV?
No