Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo after intense physical activity: a report of nine cases

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo After Use of Handheld Massage Gun

This report describes 2 cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo symptoms in middle-aged patients who experienced onset after using a handheld massage gun.

The Risk of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo After Head Trauma

OBJECTIVES

Head trauma may cause dislodgement of otoconia and development of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The risk of developing BPPV is expected to be highest shortly after the trauma, then decrease and approach the risk seen in the general population. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk-time curve of BPPV development after head trauma.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

METHODS

Patients with minimal, mild, or moderate head trauma treated at the Department of Neurosurgery or the Department of Orthopedic Emergency at Oslo University Hospital, were interviewed and examined for BPPV using the Dix-Hallpike and supine roll maneuvers. BPPV was diagnosed according to the International diagnostic criteria of the Bárány Society. Telephone interviews were conducted at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after the first examination.

RESULTS

Out of 117 patients, 21% developed traumatic BPPV within 3 months after the trauma. The corresponding numbers were 12% with minimal trauma, 24% with mild, and 40% with moderate trauma. The difference in prevalence between the groups was significant (P = .018). During the first 4 weeks after the trauma, it was observed 20, 3, 0, and 1 BPPV onsets, respectively. No BPPV cases were seen for the remainder of the 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The risk of developing BPPV after minimal-to-moderate head trauma is considerable and related to trauma severity. Most cases occur within few days after the trauma, but any BPPV occurring within the first 2 weeks after head trauma are likely due to the traumatic event.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 2021.

Risk Factors for the Occurrence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose: The lifetime prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is high, especially in the elderly. Patients with BPPV are more susceptible to ischemic stroke, dementia, and fractures, severely reducing quality of life of patients. Many studies have analyzed risk factors for the occurrence of BPPV. However, the results of these studies are not identical. We performed this meta-analysis to determine potential risk factors associated with the occurrence of BPPV.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (January 2000 through March 2020) were systematically searched for eligible studies analyzing risk factors for the occurrence of BPPV. Reference lists of eligible studies were also reviewed. We selected observational studies in English with a control group and sufficient data. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) or the mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to measure the impacts of all potential risk factors. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using the Q-test and I² statistics. We used the random-effect model or the fixed-effect model according to the heterogeneity among the included studies.

Results: We eventually included 19 studies published between 2006 and 2019, including 2,618 patients with BPPV and 11,668 participants without BPPV in total. In this meta-analysis, the occurrence of BPPV was significantly associated with female gender (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05–1.32; P = 0.004), serum vitamin D level (MD = −2.12; 95% CI, −3.85 to −0.38; P = 0.02), osteoporosis (OR = 2.49; 95% CI, 1.39–4.46; P = 0.002), migraine (OR = 4.40; 95% CI, 2.67–7.25; P < 0.00001), head trauma (OR = 3.42; 95% CI, 1.21–9.70; P = 0.02), and total cholesterol level (MD = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.02–0.62; P = 0.03).

Conclusion: Female gender, vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, migraine, head trauma, and high TC level were risk factors for the occurrence of BPPV. However, the effects of other risk factors on BPPV occurrence need further investigations.

Review of the pathology underlying benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

The pathophysiological mechanism underlying benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is related to free-floating debris/otoliths in the semicircular canal (canalolithiasis) or debris/otoliths attached to the cupula (cupulolithiasis). These debris/otoliths are considered to originally accumulate after detachment from the neuroepithelium of the utricular macula secondary to a type of degeneration. An idiopathic form, which is assumed to occur spontaneously, is diagnosed when the causative pathology is obscure. However, an association between various other systemic or inner ear conditions and BPPV has been reported, indicating the existence of secondary BPPV. This study was performed to present the first review of the pathology underlying BPPV following a complete PubMed/Medline search. In total, 1932 articles published from 1975 to 2018 were reviewed. The articles were classified according to 17 potentially causative factors (aging; migraine; Meniere's disease; infection; trauma; idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss; sleeping habits; osteoporosis and vitamin D insufficiency; hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus; chronic head and neck pain; vestibule or semicircular canal pathology; pigmentation disorders; estrogen deficiency; neurological disorders; autoimmune, inflammatory, or rheumatologic disorders; familial or genetic predisposition; and allergy). A discussion of the underlying cause of BPPV for each factor is presented.

Our experience with 500 patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Reexploring aetiology and reevaluating MRI investigation

OBJECTIVE

To explore the aetiology of and to evaluate the importance of MRI investigation on the posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in an Irish population.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study of 500 patients with posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, diagnosed and treated by the senior author over a 10-year period. Most patients underwent an MRI brain and inner ear, following the same scan protocol. This included T1 weighted sagittal IR-FSPGR volume, axial T2 weighted, gradient echo T2 weighted and FLAIR sequences plus time of flight cerebral angiography.

RESULTS

The average age of presentation was 56 years; with the overall female to male ratio was 1.6:1, which was largely the net results of 2 age groups. Over 30% of our patients recalled distinct aetiological triggers, of which the top 3 were trauma, infection, and surgery. These accounted for 16%, 6%, and 5%, respectively. More than 25% of the patients were discovered to have abnormal intracranial findings on MRI. The 2 most common non-infarct incidental findings were neoplasia and vascular abnormalities. Although fewer than 20 patients had acute intracranial haemorrhage or malignant tumours, most of them were urgently referred to neurosurgeon due to the life-threatening nature of the condition. One round of particle repositioning manoeuver was successful in treating 84% of the patients, and the 2-year recurrence rate was only 2.2%.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is thought to be relatively easy to make, and the treatment is highly effective. Clinicians should be fully aware of and prepared for the diverse aetiology, and thus have no hesitation in requesting MRI scan as an important investigation.

Onset time of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

CONCLUSION

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is strongly related to sleep. This study proposes a micro-otoconia accumulation theory in which the pathological debris is an aggregate of micro-otoconia over a long time period, and which begins to slide by its own weight during sleep.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the onset time of idiopathic BPPV and to investigate its etiology.

METHOD

Patients (n = 351) were classified as posterior canalolithiasis (PC), horizontal canalolithiasis (HC), and horizontal heavy cupula (HHC) according to nystagmus findings. This study examined the medical records, and categorized the onset times into the following four groups; (1) during sleep, (2) at the time of rising, (3) morning, and (4) afternoon.

RESULTS

PC (n = 135): In 33 patients, vertigo occurred during sleep, in 69 patients at rising, in 10 patients in the morning, and in 23 patients in the afternoon. HC (n = 87): In 38 patients, vertigo occurred during sleep, in 30 patients at rising, in eight patients in the morning, and in 11 patients in the afternoon. HHC (n = 129): In 27 patients, vertigo occurred during sleep, in 59 patients at rising, in 15 patients in the morning, and in 28 patients in the afternoon.

Demographic analysis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo as a common public health problem

BACKGROUND

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common peripheral vestibular problem. However, demographic analysis is few.

AIM

The aim of this study was to document the demographic data of patients with BPPV regarding distribution of gender, age, associated problems, most common form, symptom duration, severity of nystagmus and cure rate.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 263 patients with video-nystagmography confirmed BPPV were enrolled in this retrospective study (2009-2013). The data were collected in Anadolu Medical Center. Distribution of gender, age and affected side were reviewed. Associated problems were noted. Patients were analyzed according to the canal involvement, age, duration of symptoms, duration of nystagmus and recurrence. Mean values and standard deviations were calculated. One-way ANOVA test was used for the analysis of the data (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 17.0 version, IBM, Chicago, III, USA). Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Women were affected more frequently than men (1:1.5). Comparative analysis of average age between the two gender groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.84). BPPV was common at middle age group. The incidence of affected side was not significant (P = 0.74). Posterior canal-BPPV (PC-BPPV) was the most leading one (129/263; 49%) followed by lateral canal (LC)-canalolithiasis (60/263; 22.8%), LC-cupulolithiasis (38/263; 14.5%) and superior canal-BPPV (9/263; 3.4%). 55.1% of patients were defined as idiopathic (145/263). Associated problems were migraine (31/263; 11.8%), trauma (19/263; 7.2%), inner ear disorders (18/263; 6.8%) and other systemic problems (50/263; 19.1%). 72.6% of patients had symptoms <2 months (191/263). 23,6% of patients had intensive nystagmus lasting more than a minute regardless of canal involvement (62/263). 33% of patients required two or more maneuvers for the relief of symptoms (87/263).

CONCLUSION

Symptoms are prone to recur in those of traumatic origin, associated inner ear problems and systemic disorders. As the prognostic factors are illuminated, preventive measures will be more effective and more patients will be cured properly.

Physical activity in the prevention of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: probable association

Introduction Physical inactivity is an important risk factor for many age-related diseases and symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo. Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and regular physical activity in elderly subjects. Methods This cross-sectional study included 491 elderly individuals who lived independently. Physical exercise was assessed through a questionnaire and BPPV by history and the Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Results The present study indicates no significant association between BPPV with lack of physical activity in men and in the total population. We have confirmed associations between BPPV with lack of physical activity in women (p = 0.01). Women with a sedentary lifestyle who do not practice physical activity are 2.62 more likely to have BPPV than those with regular physical activity. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of identifying risk factors for BPPV that can be modified through specific interventions. Regular physical activity is a lifestyle with potential to decrease the risk of vertigo in women.

Physical inactivity as a contributing factor for onset of idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

CONCLUSION

Despite limitations arising from a questionnaire-performed study, it seems that nonspecific physical activity can protect against benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), possibly by relocating loosened otoconia from the semicircular canals.

OBJECTIVES

Mechanical factors might play a role in the onset of the idiopathic form of BPPV. We performed a structured questionnaire study of physical activity in patients with BPPV and controls.

METHODS

Sixty-three consecutive patients with idiopathic BPPV participated in the study. Their mean age was 59.2 ± 14.5 years; 14 were men and 49 were women. Sixty-four age- and sex-matched generally healthy individuals served as controls. Levels of physical activity were assessed by the PASE questionnaire, which consists of 12 items quantifying physical activity during leisure, household, and occupational activities over a 7-day period.

RESULTS

The total physical score activity was significantly lower in BPPV patients than in controls. Differences were found mainly in household and leisure activity, while occupational activity was similar in both groups, regardless of gender. Patients older than 60 years had significantly lower PASE scores than controls, whereas patients aged 60 years or younger reported similar physical activity to controls. No differences were found between physical activity scores in different types of BPPV or in patients with a first versus recurrent attack of vertigo.