What is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

3 November 2023

It is a disorder characterized by abrupt dizziness when changing the position of the head, causing vertigo symptoms, which can be described as a sensation that everything is suddenly spinning around us.

Although benign paroxysmal positional vertigo episodes are short they may be mild or intense, which usually occur when quickly standing up, lying down, sitting down, or moving the head.

People over 50 years old are those who have the highest incidence of this condition whose main cause seems unknown (idiopathic), although in rare cases it can have a different origin:

Head trauma.
Migraine.
Ear surgeries.
Ear conditions.

Signs and symptoms Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Imbalance.
Feeling of instability.
Nausea.
Dizziness.
Feeling that everything is spinning around you.
Vomit.

In general, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is not serious, except when it is very intense and can trigger an imbalance that causes falls or when the vertigo is associated with serious conditions, so you should see your doctor immediately if you experience vertigo along with the following symptoms:

Partial or total loss of vision.
Decreased hearing ability.
Trouble speaking.
Weak upper and lower limbs.
Intense migraine.
High fever.
Difficulty walking.
Numbness.
Fainting.

Diagnosis and treatment Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Once the doctor analyzes your symptoms and medical history, they will perform a physical examination and ask you to move your head and adopt different positions to observe your reactions.
They could also request various tests such as:

Videonystagmography.
MRI.

Most cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo usually heal without treatment within weeks or months, but it is possible to support recovery with particle repositioning maneuvers that your doctor can teach you to perform.

Surgery is appropriate for chronic cases that do not improve and do not respond to particle repositioning.

At Saludora Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Internal Medicine
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical laboratory

Fuentes:

aeped.es
middlesexhealth.org
mayoclinic.org
medlineplus.gov
topdoctors.es
cun.es
msdmanuals.com
medigraphic.com
Torres-Gerardo F, Celis-Aguilar E, Espinoza-Valdez A, et al. Tratamiento del vértigo postural paroxístico benigno: encuesta nacional y algoritmo de su manejo. Otorhinolaryngology. 2022;67(3):207-216.
Rico-Romero BY, Ishiwara-Niembro JK, Sánchez-Pérez Y. Vértigo postural paroxístico benigno del canal semicircular horizontal (VPPB-CSH). Rev Mex AMCAOF. 2012;1(2):119-125.
Rodas-Méndez ER, Cárdena MI. Vértigo en niños y adolescentes. Rev Hosp Jua Mex. 2012;79(1):5-8.
Tovar UR, Hernández CJ, López GEC. Administración de vasodilatadores versus maniobras de reposición y liberación canalicular en el tratamiento del vértigo postural paroxístico benigno. Rev Esp Med Quir. 2008;13(2):69-77.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the Saludora Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

Signs and symptoms Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Diagnosis and treatment Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Related centers and departments Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Fuentes:

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