We can Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Using the best equipment, we can diagnose and treat the most complex forms of BPPV
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), best known in Norwegian as crystal sickness, is the most common form of vertigo and research indicates that around 10% of the population will experience BPPV at least once in their life. In Norway alone, over 80,000 Norwegians get BPPV every year. Vertigo caused by BPPV can be experienced as very frightening and give an intense sensation of vertigo, but it is not dangerous. Although BPPV is not a life-threatening condition, it can still inhibit and destroy the quality of life for a long time. It must therefore be taken seriously.
There are several causes of vertigo, and luckily it is rarely a life-threatening cause. But it is important to be examined thoroughly as quickly as possible so that the right treatment can be initiated or referred to the right authority. Do you experience other symptoms, including headache, double vision, slurred speech or difficulty moving your arms or legs at the same time as dizziness. Do you need to contact the emergency room as soon as possible to rule out serious conditions such as stroke.
BPPV is a positional vertigo where crystals (otoliths) detach from the balance organ (utriculus/sacculus) in the inner ear. This means that you experience dizziness when changing the position of your head. Such as when you bend forward to put on shoes, or turn over in bed. Otoliths stray into one or more archways, which are also part of the balance organ in the inner ear. These crystals cause overactivation of sensory structures (cupula) in the archways that send movement signals to the brain, giving a false sensation of movement. The brain is simply tricked into thinking you are moving, even though you are at rest.
You can get two forms of crystal disease, canalolithiasis which is the most common form (about 80%) where otoliths float freely in one or more arches. The other form of crystal disease is cupulolithiasis, where otoliths attach to the cupula itself.
Research shows that 70-90% of people with the most common type of crystal disease in the posterior arch, canalolithiasis, become dizzy-free after 1-3 treatments with repositioning exercises. But unfortunately as many as 50% relapse within months or years.
In most cases of BPPV, the cause is unknown, but you can also get BPPV as a result of head trauma from a traffic accident or fall. Research shows that it is more complicated and takes longer to treat patients with crystal sickness after head trauma. One often has to combine BPPV treatment with other vertigo rehabilitation. Including sensorimotor training and vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
It is also often seen that patients who have had inflammation of the balance nerve, vestibular neuritis, also have BPPV. The reason for this is unknown, and this patient group may often require a combination of vertigo rehabilitation in addition to BPPV treatment.
Examination at Brain Camp
Brain Camp has extensive experience with examination and treatment of various forms of acute and chronic BPPV. Your first consultation begins with a thorough examination to map your BPPV and see if you are a candidate for our most effective treatment in the TRV chair. We use video oculography, which is a mask with an infrared camera that allows us to closely monitor your eyes during the BPPV test. Loose otoliths in the various arches produce characteristic eye twitches, nystagmus, which tell us which arch is involved and what type of treatment is required. It is essential to find out which arch is involved before starting the treatments. As treatment of the wrong arch does not lead to improvement, and in the worst case your BPPV worsens as otoliths move into new arches.
We are one of the few clinics in Europe that can offer treatment of BPPV in a TRV chair.
TRV chair is shown to be significantly more effective for chronic BPPV, multi-arch BPPV, and recurrent BPPV compared to other treatments. But not everyone is a candidate for treatment in a TRV chair. Then we use repositioning exercises that are carried out on the treatment bench.
Treatment of other types of vertigo:
Brain Camp also has extensive experience in examining and adapting tailored neurological rehabilitation and vestibular rehabilitation therapy to patients with other forms of vertigo. Including chronic complaints after vestibular neuritis, vestibular migraine, persistent postural-perceptual vertigo (PPPS), mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS), vertigo caused by neurological diseases such as MS and Parkinson's disease. For these patient groups, we can offer a more comprehensive examination to adapt tailored neurological rehabilitation and vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
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