WHAT IS BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO (BPPV)?
BPPV is a clinical syndrome characterized by brief recurrent episodes of vertigo triggered by changes in head position with respect to gravity. BPPV is the most common cause of recurrent vertigo, with a lifetime prevalence of 2.4 percent. Typical signs of BPPV are evoked when the head is positioned so that the plane of the affected semicircular canal is spatially vertical and aligned with gravity. This produces a paroxysm of vertigo and nystagmus, or involuntary eye movements, after a brief latency. The duration, frequency, and intensity of symptoms of BPPV vary, and spontaneous recovery occurs frequently.
