Repositioning manoeuvre in the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Abstract
Treatment of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is justified by “cupulolithiasis” and “canalolithiasis” theories. The aim of the rehabilitation basing on the manoeuvres is to move debris from the pathological places in semicircular canal or from the cupula to the vestibule.
The aim of the work was an evaluation of the usefulness of the liberatory and repositioning manoeuvres in the treatment of BPPV in the comparison to pharmacological treatment.
Material and method. The criteria proposed by Blakley, Herdman and Stennerson were used to diagnose BPPV. Material consisted of 53 patients with BPPV diagnosed. Epley’s reposition manoeuvre or Semont’s liberator manoeuvre was applied in 38 cases.
Results. Treatment results were classified in three categories: lack of the symptoms, improvement, no improvement. In the group treated with Semont liberatory manoeuvre complete recovery was observed in 62% of the cases and in the group treated with Epley’s reposition manoeuvre complete recovery was observed in 73%.
Conclusion. Rehabilitation with the use of manoeuvres is the only successful method in the treatment of BPPV, passing over the cases when spontaneous recovery occurred. Pharmacological treatment is not effective in those cases.