The main diagnostic test is called the Dix-Hallpike test. Your doctor will also examine your ears and eyes, check your balance and your nerves. No blood test is needed to diagnose BPPV, but your doctor may order some blood tests or further tests to rule out other conditions. They will also find out whether you have other symptoms such as hearing loss or ear fullness to rule out another diagnosis. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and their relation to any head movements. You are also at higher risk of BPPV if you are a woman, suffer from a head or ear injury, or have had an infection in your inner ear. It is not clear why some people have these loose calcium crystals, but it is thought to be related to increasing age, so BPPV is more common in people over the age of 40. Your brain gets confused between these extra nerve signals and the normal nerve signals sent from your unaffected ear, resulting in vertigo. These nerve signals tell your brain the movement and position of your head.īPPV occurs when there are loose calcium crystals in the fluid of the semicircular canals of one ear, causing extra nerve signals or wrong signals to be sent to your brain. Your semicircular canals contain fluids that send signals to your brain when your head moves. Image credit: Mike.lifeguard Wikimedia Commons The diagram (below) shows an example of the structure of your ear. The cochlea helps with hearing, whereas the semicircular canals help with balancing and posture. Your inner ear includes the cochlea and semicircular canals. BPPV is a condition that affects your inner ear. Each of your ears has 3 parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear.
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