Final - Vestibular Disorders Flashcards
Dizziness
The sensation of disturbed or impaired spatial orientation without a false or distorted sense of motion (lightheadedness, nonspecific dizziness, not vertigo)
Presyncope
The sensation of impending loss of consciousness
Syncope
Transient loss of consciousness due to transient global cerebral hypo perfusion characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery
Vertigo
Sensation of self-motion when no self-motion is occurring or the sensation of distorted self-motion during an otherwise normal head movement
Unsteadiness
The feeling of being unstable while seated, standing, or walking without a particular directional preference (disequilibrium or imbalance)
How are vestibular disorders diagnosed?
- history
- physical exam
- diagnostic testing if necessary
what are the types of vestibular disorders?
Unilateral vs Bilateral
Peripheral vs Central
Central Vestibular Disorder
In the cerebellum
TiTrATE
Triage: Identify dangerous causes (abnormal vital signs, altered mental status)
Timing: Determine the dizziness attack pattern (episodic, acute, chronic)
Triggers: Seek obvious triggers or exposures
Targeted Exam: Vestibular Exam
Testing: Further diagnostic testing when appropriate
Timing
onset, duration, and evolution of dizziness
Episodic timing
intermittent dizziness lasting seconds, minutes, or hours
Acute Timing
acute, persistent dizziness lasting days to weeks, sometimes with lingering sequelae
** Temporal evolution at onset and in first week most important
Chronic Timing
Lasting longer than 3-6 months
Positional Triggers
Head changes
Exposures
Head/neck trauma
Barotrauma
Toxin exposure
Medications
Benign Positional Vertigo
Seconds to few minutes
triggered by head position changes
Vestibular neuritis
hours to 2-3 days
spontaneous trigger
Meniere’s Disease
Minutes to 24 hours
Spontaneous triggers
Vestibular Migraine
Seconds to Weeks
Head changes/ spontaneous
Targeted Exam - Positional Testing
Supine Roll Test
Dix-Hallpike Test
4 key acute categories
- episodic vestibular syndromes: triggered or spontaneous
2. acute vestibular syndromes: post-exposure or spontaneous
BPPV
- Timing: episodic lasting seconds
- Triggers: rolling onto side, moving from sitting to lying, looking upward, “swimming sensation”
- Targeted Exam: Dix-Hallpike Evaluation
- Treatment: Employ maneuver/canalith repositioning procedure
BPPV Pathophysiology
- Cupulolithiasis: debris attached to cupula
- Canalithiasis: Debris within long arm (delay)
- Vestibulithiasis: debris within short arm (type 2)
BPV causes
- Idiopathic 70-80%
- Head Injury
- Vascular
- Viral Infection
- Meniere’s Disease
BPV Diagnosis
- History
- Positional Testing: Dix-Hallpike Evaluation or Supine Roll Test
Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Deficit
- Timing: acute onset, persistent, continuous dizziness (hours to weeks)
- Triggers: Spontaneous
- Targeted History: Nausea/vomiting, gait instability, head-motion intolerance
- targeted exam: HINTS Evaluation (head impulse nystagmus test of skew)
Causes of Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Deficit
- Vestibular Neuritis/Neuronitis
- Labyrinthitis
- Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
- Early Meniere’s Disease
- Fractured Temporal Bone
- Stroke
- Head Trauma
Vestibular Neuritis Cause
Viral Infection of CN VIII