Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is best described as a

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is best described as a

• A. Peripheral cause of vertigo
• B. Central vestibular disorder
• C. Autoimmune inner ear disease
• D. Sensorineural hearing loss

Answer: (A)

A peripheral cause of vertigo. BPPV comes from a mechanical problem in the inner ear: otoconia (tiny crystals) become dislodged from the utricle and drift into a semicircular canal. When the head changes position, these crystals move with the fluid and abnormally stimulate the hair cells, causing short episodes of vertigo that are triggered by specific head movements and tend to fatigue with repeated maneuvers. This places the condition in the peripheral vestibular category, since the issue lies in the inner-ear structures rather than the brain. Central vestibular disorders arise from brainstem or cerebellar pathology and usually present with additional neurological signs and different nystagmus patterns. Autoimmune inner ear disease involves inflammatory processes that commonly affect hearing as well as balance. Sensorineural hearing loss refers to damage along the inner ear or auditory nerve and is not defined by the positional, brief vertigo hallmark of BPPV.

A peripheral cause of vertigo. BPPV comes from a mechanical problem in the inner ear: otoconia (tiny crystals) become dislodged from the utricle and drift into a semicircular canal. When the head changes position, these crystals move with the fluid and abnormally stimulate the hair cells, causing short episodes of vertigo that are triggered by specific head movements and tend to fatigue with repeated maneuvers. This places the condition in the peripheral vestibular category, since the issue lies in the inner-ear structures rather than the brain.

Central vestibular disorders arise from brainstem or cerebellar pathology and usually present with additional neurological signs and different nystagmus patterns. Autoimmune inner ear disease involves inflammatory processes that commonly affect hearing as well as balance. Sensorineural hearing loss refers to damage along the inner ear or auditory nerve and is not defined by the positional, brief vertigo hallmark of BPPV.