Vertigo / BPPV
Vertigo is a spinning sensation, and BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is its most common cause: tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear shift out of place and cause brief, intense spinning when your head moves. LOR Physical Therapy lists vertigo treatment among its services in Laguna Niguel.
What BPPV feels like
The spinning is short, usually under a minute, and it is brought on by a change of head position.
- The room spins when you roll over in bed
- You get dizzy when you lie down or sit up
- Looking up or bending forward sets it off
- You feel unsteady for a while after a spell
Vertigo or general dizziness?
Vertigo is a feeling that you or the room is spinning. Feeling lightheaded, off balance or woozy is different, and that is covered on dizziness and balance. The exam tells us which one you have, and a quick test of your eye movements in different head positions helps to confirm BPPV.
Why BPPV is often treated in a few visits
BPPV is a mechanical problem: crystals in the wrong place in the inner ear. A repositioning maneuver, a set of head movements done by a trained therapist, is typically used to move them back, and many people feel better within a few visits.
If your symptoms do not fit BPPV, we say so and look at the other causes of dizziness.
Go to the ER if you have
- Vertigo with slurred speech, facial droop or weakness
- Double vision
- A sudden severe headache
Whether your insurance plan needs a referral differs from plan to plan: call the number on your insurance card to check, or call us before your first visit and we will help you find out.
Questions about vertigo
Why is the room spinning when I turn my head?
A room spinning for under a minute when you turn your head or look up is typical of BPPV. A different pattern, or spinning that lasts for hours, needs a different exam.
Why am I dizzy when I lie down?
Dizzy when I lie down is one of the first things people with BPPV report, along with being dizzy when I roll over in bed. Both happen when the crystals shift as your head tilts back.
What are ear crystals?
Ear crystals are tiny calcium carbonate particles in the inner ear that help sense gravity. When they drift into the canals, head movements give the brain false spin signals.
What is the Epley maneuver?
The Epley maneuver is a series of head and body positions that moves the crystals back out of the canal. A therapist decides which maneuver fits the ear that is affected.
Does vertigo physical therapy work?
Vertigo physical therapy works well for BPPV, and for other causes it uses exercises that retrain the balance system. The first step is working out which type you have.
Related care
Vertigo care in Laguna Niguel, California
LOR Physical Therapy treats vertigo at our Laguna Niguel clinic, 31271 Niguel Road, Suite J, for patients across South Orange County.
Whether your insurance plan needs a referral differs from plan to plan: call the number on your insurance card to check, or call us before your first visit and we will help you find out.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.