L16: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) assessment and treatment Flashcards
What does BPPV stands for?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
What is BPPV triggered by?
Movement
____ is the single most common cause of dizziness in adults
BPPV
BPPV accounts for 20% of all presentations with ______
dizziness
BPPV accounts for 30% of all dizziness in ______ patients (>65yrs)
older
BPPV accounts for 80% of all dizziness in older patients (>_____yrs)
80
BPPV is a ____ problem.
Mechanical
How does BPPV occur?
Hardened otoconia dislodge from the utricle and “float” into the semi‐circular canals
- Canal is a one way system
Which canals does BPPV occur in most?
Mostly in posterior canal or horizontal canal (if side sleeper)
What are otoconia?
calcium carbonate crystals
Dislodgement of otoconia normally occurs as a result of damage to the _____/_____.
utricle / saccule
What are 5 possible mechanisms of how BPPV occur?
Anything that damages the inner ear
- Recent head injury (18%) – most common cause in people under 50
- Vestibular neuritis – 15%
- Other disorders of the ear
- Degeneration with age
- No specific cause
_____ increases the risk of BPPV by 15%.
Vestibular neuronitis
What is canalithiasis?
otoconia is freely mobile in the canal
Act like pebbles of a stream
- Slow down the fluid on one side
- As long as stop moving = will stop being affected
What is the symptom of canalithiasis?
Dizziness typically lasts less than a minute
What is cupulolithiasis?
otoconia adhere to the cupula
- Gravity will stick the otoconia in cupula
- Permanently deflect the cupula (in that position)
What is the symptom of cupulolithiasis?
Dizziness typically lasts more than a minute but may eventually fatigue
What are the 2 types of BPPV?
- Canalithiasis
- Cupulolithiasis
What are the 3 semi-circular canals?
- Posterior SCC = extension / rotation
- Anterior SCC = flexion / rotation
- Horizontal SCC = rotation / rolling
What head position is the posterior semi-circular canal stimulated by?
extension / rotation
- When they look up = dizzy
What head position is the anterior semi-circular canal stimulated by?
flexion / rotation
- When they look forward= dizzy
What head position is the horizontal semi-circular canal stimulated by?
rotation / rolling
The _____ SCC is by far the most commonly affected canal by BPPV.
posterior
What are 5 typical BPPV symptoms
- brief episodes of vertigo – typically lasting < 1 min
- imbalance
- motion sensitivity
- nausea
- occasionally lightheadedness (Mismatch and something moving)
BPPV is almost always brought on by a change of _____ position with respect to gravity
head
Head on body or body on head
What are 5 positions that may trigger BPPV symptoms?
- lying down in bed
- getting up in bed
- rolling over
- bending over
- looking up (ie. tipping head back)
What are 8 neurological signs that should not be typical BPPV symptoms (red flags)?
- weakness
- sensory changes
- dysarthria (Slowness of speech)
- dysphagia (Difficulty swallowing)
- decreased co‐ordination / ataxia (In limbs (eg. dropping))
- bladder / bowel problems
- diplopia (Double vision (either up centre or other quadrants))
- dysmetria (Clumsiness of limb coordination)
What are 3 indicators for BPPV?
- true vertigo - spinning (Eg. roll to the right –> likely to be the right side)
- brief episodes
- positional
- classic provoking positions can indicate affected side … but not always
What are 6 history symptoms for BPPV in the patient interview?
- Brief episode of spinning when rolling over in bed or sitting up out of bed
- Lasts for no more than 20 seconds
- No changes to hearing
- No tinnitus
- Able to walk around normally occasionally feels off balance
- No reported neurological signs
What are 2 previous medical history symptoms for BPPV in the patient interview?
- High blood pressure
- diabetes
What are the 3 different manoeuvres that can be used to assess for and diagnose BPPV?
- Dix‐Hallpike Test (PSCC and ASCC)
- Side‐Lying Test (PSCC and ASCC)
- Roll Test (HSCC)
What are 2 things that treatment is dictated by?
- proper identification of the involved canal (Side that is affected and which canal)
- determination of the type of BPPV:
- cupulolithiasis or canalithiasis
To diagnose BPPV of Posterior and Anterior canals during positional testing, what are 2 things you need to find out?
- Direction of the nystagmus will tell you which canal is involved
- Duration of symptoms will tell you the type of BPPV
To diagnose BPPV of Horizontal canals during positional testing, how is it different to posterior/anterior testing?
Are a little different – more on this soon!
What does the Dix-Hallpike Test assessment?
Tests posterior and anterior canal pairs
What are 3 steps in the Dix-Hallpike test?
- Patient sits with head turned 45°to one side
- Patient is then moved quickly backward so that the head is extended over the end of the table, approx. 30° below horizontal
- Performed to both right and left sides
What does a positive test for canalithiasis show in the Dix-Hallpike test?
Latency of 2‐10 sec after the head is moved into the position and gradual reduction of vertigo and nystagmus, duration
< 60sec = canalithiasis
What does a positive test for cupulolithiasis show in the Dix-Hallpike test?
Immediate onset of nystagmus , Vertigo after the head is moved into the position , sustained duration
> 60 secs (From lying down to symptoms subsiding)
What are 3 findings in the Dix-Hallpike test?
- Characteristic torsional nystagmus (Based on the superior part of eyes –> Why does it do opposite torsion? Pushing the fluid away)
- Reversal of nystagmus with vertigo on sitting up
- Fatigued response with repeated positioning
What does the Side-lying Test assessment?
both anterior and posterior SCC
When is the Side-lying Test used?
those who are anxious or do not tolerate cervical extension
What are 5 steps in the Side-lying test?
- Patient sits on the side of the bed with the head rotated 45° to one side
- Move down on their side opposite to the direction the head is turned
- Observe for direction of nystagmus and onset of vertigo
- Move back to sitting with the head still turned 45° and symptoms are checked
- Repeat to the other side
Diagnosis of BPPV canal and type with same symptom and nystagmus pattern as _______.
Dix‐Hallpike
What are 4 symptoms of canalithiasis?
- Delay in onset of symptoms
- Presence of nystagmus
- Duration of symptoms and nystagmus usually less than a minute (delayed onset lasting for <60)
- Most common type
What are 4 symptoms of cupulolithiasis?
- Immediate onset of symptoms
- Presence of nystagmus
- Symptoms persist for as long as head is in the provoking position (more than a minute) (sudden onset lasting >60secs)
- Relatively uncommon
What is the order from most common to least common (in term of canalithiasis/cupulolithiasis and anterior/horizontal/posterior)?
- Posterior canal
- Horizonal canal
- Posterior cupula
- Horizontal cupula
- Anterior canal
- Anterior cupula (sometimes central lesion looks like this) –> Very rare
What does nystagmus during testing in the posterior canal for the right and left?
RIGHT: R Torsional & Upbeating
LEFT: L Torsional & Upbeating