What is Vertigo?
True vertigo is the feeling that you are standing still, but your surroundings are spinning around you. It can make you feel dizzy and off-balance.
What is BPPV?
BPPV or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo happens when tiny crystals in your inner ear come loose from their gel-like home and float around in the inner ear fluid. This can cause short bursts of vertigo, especially when moving your head quickly when rolling over in bed or looking up in a top cabinet. BPPV in itself is not dangerous, but it is uncomfortable and could lead to nausea or untimely falls.
How do I get rid of it?
BPPV can be cured by audiologists and most physical therapists by using what is called a “canalith repositioning maneuver.” Canalith repositioning maneuvers are special head and body movements used to guide the crystals back into the correct place in your inner ear. An audiologist will be able to determine where the crystals relocated, and will alter the repositioning maneuvers accordingly. The repositioning maneuvers often cure the dizziness in just one or two treatments. Unfortunately, once you have experienced BPPV, you are more likely to have it happen again, so repeat treatments are common.