Vertigo / BPPV
Vertigo is the feeling that the room is spinning, and the most common cause is BPPV, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: tiny inner ear crystals that have moved into the wrong canal. Logos Physical Therapy treats vertigo with a physical therapist-led maneuver in Perth Amboy and Somerville, New Jersey, and can bring relief from sudden attacks.
Vertigo versus general dizziness
Dizziness is a broad word. Vertigo is a spinning sensation, and with BPPV it comes in short bursts when you change position: dizzy when I lie down, dizzy when I roll over in bed, or when you look up or bend over. These are the usual triggers.
The cause is displaced ear crystals, sometimes called ear crystals or otoconia, in the inner ear. They send the brain false signals about motion.
How a physical therapist diagnoses and treats it
Your therapist uses the Dix-Hallpike test to see whether the crystals are the cause and which ear and canal are involved. Treatment is a canalith repositioning maneuver, the Epley maneuver or a related technique such as the Semont maneuver, which moves the crystals back. Brandt-Daroff exercises may be added to use at home.
BPPV often resolves in a few visits. If your symptoms are not BPPV, you will move on to broader vestibular rehabilitation. Stephanie Bolebruch also provides specialized interventions for BPPV, as does Christine Carlo.
Questions we hear about vertigo
Vertigo treatment for BPPV is quick when the cause is the ear crystals. If you have a room spinning feeling, a physical therapist can test for BPPV; this is vertigo physical therapy at its simplest.
Red flags: go to the ER
- Vertigo with slurred speech
- A drooping face or weakness
- Double vision
- A sudden, severe headache
You can come to Logos with a physician’s referral or ask for care directly. If any red flag applies, call 911 or go to the ER first.
Related care
Vertigo and BPPV care in Perth Amboy and Somerville
Request an appointment at Logos Physical Therapy and a physical therapist will call you to find a time.
We see patients in Perth Amboy and Somerville, New Jersey.