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Balance & Dizziness Canada

Balance & Dizziness Canada

Supporting, inspiring and educating those affected by balance and dizziness disorders

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Balance & Dizziness Canada

Balance & Dizziness Canada

Supporting, inspiring and educating those affected by balance and dizziness disorders

Menu
  • Home
  • Professional Members
  • Practitioners List
  • About
    • What We Do
    • History
    • Testimonials
    • Our Team
    • Initiatives
    • Policies
    • Contact
    • Pro Members
    • Donate
  • Contact
  • Site Map
  • Donate
NAVIGATION
  • Balance System
  • Symptoms
  • Disorders
    • Close
    • Vestibular Disorders
      • Close
        • Acoustic Neuroma
        • Age-related Dizziness and Imbalance
        • Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED)
        • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
        • Bilateral Vestibulopathy
        • CANVAS Syndrome
        • Cervicogenic Dizziness
        • Childhood Dizziness and Imbalance
        • Cholesteatoma
        • Dizziness & Imbalance after mTBI
        • Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct
        • Isolated Otolith Disorder
        • Labyrinthine Infarction
        • Labyrinthitis
        • Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS)
        • Ménière’s Disease
        • Motion and Cyber Sickness
        • Otosclerosis
        • Perilymph Fistula
        • Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
        • Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
        • Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops
        • Semicircular Canal Dehiscence
        • Vestibular Migraine
        • Vestibular Neuritis
        • Vestibular Paroxysmia
        • Vestibular Toxicity
        • Visually Induced Dizziness
      • Close
    • Multifactorial Causes
    • Other Causes
    • Imbalance without Dizziness
    • Statistics
    • Close
  • Diagnosis & Treatment
    • Close
      • Patient Journey
      • Working with Professionals
      • Primary Care Physicians
      • Other Health Professionals
      • Where to Get Tested
      • Diagnostic Tests
      • Vestibular Rehabilitation
      • Vestibular Rehab Video $10
      • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
      • Medication
      • Surgical Treatments
      • Alternative Treatments
      • Future Treatments
    • Close
  • Help Yourself
    • Close
      • Build Your Wellness Toolkit
      • Help Others Understand
      • Keep a Health Diary
      • Time Management
      • Relaxation Techniques
      • Physical Activity
      • Vestibular Rehab Video $10
      • Anxiety and Depression
      • Eat Well
      • Vision Challenges
      • Prevent Falls
      • Overcome Fear of Falling
      • At Home, Work & School
      • Out & About
      • Emergency Plans
      • Move From Survive to Thrive
    • Close
  • Stories
    • Close
    • Our Stories
    • Books to Inspire
    • Famous Dizzy People
    • Close
  • Support
    • Close
    • Ask Us
    • FAQ
      • Close
      • Ask an Expert Form
      • Close
    • Our Videos
    • Suggested Books
    • For Family and Friends
    • Community Resources
    • Legal Resources
    • Patient Handouts
    • Support Meetings
    • Close
You are here: Home / Support / FAQ

FAQ

Browse a selection of our most frequently asked questions and answers about balance and dizziness disorders. Submit your own question here.



B
My physiotherapist talks about the crystals in my ear. What does this mean?
The otoliths are a chandelier-like structure hanging from the ceiling of the inner ear. As we move, its canals bend from side to side and we sense these movements. Like a chandelier, this structure is weighted by crystals. These tiny rocks can come loose and fall into the canals causing BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). Every time someone with BPPV does a particular head movement, for example putting their head back to look for something on an upper shelf or rolling over in bed, they get dizzy.  This happens because the loose crystals overstimulate the movement sensors in the canal. There are canal-specific manoeuvres that can be performed by a doctor, audiologist or physiotherapist to shift the crystals back to where they belong. Between 85 to 90% of BPPV affects the posterior canal; for most patients, it is easily fixed using the Epley manoeuvre. The Barbeque Roll (rotational) manoeuvre is used when the horizontal canal is affected. Read more about BPPV and its treatment.
Download Related Info Sheet (PDF): 
https://balanceanddizziness.org/pdf/bppv.pdf
Category: BPPV
Tags: Crystals, Otoliths
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