People who suffer from migraines are twice as likely to develop benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) than individuals without a history of migraines. BPPV, though benign, can be a terrifying experience, especially for those experiencing it for the first time. It has a sudden onset and is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The first thought that enters people’s mind is a stroke or a brain tumor.
The cause of BPPV is a loose crystal in one of the semicircular canals of the inner ear. Epley maneuver usually succeeds in trapping and immobilizing this crystal. I’ve had a patient who emailed me with a typical description of BPPV. I emailed her this link to a YouTube video with the instructions on how to perform the Epley maneuver. She emailed back 30 minutes later reporting that her vertigo stopped.
A new study by Dr. Michael Strup, a neurologist at the Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and his European colleagues compared two different maneuvers to relieve BPPV. They showed that Semont-Plus maneuver is more effective than the Epley maneuver.
Of the 195 participants 64% were women and the mean age was 63. Initially, the procedure was administered by a physician. Subsequently, patients were instructed to perform the maneuver independently—three times each in the morning, noon, and evening. The Epley group stopped having vertigo after an average of 3.3 days, while the Semont-Plus group, after an average of 2 days.
