Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is caused by a complication in your inner ear. Small calcium stones exist in your inner ear canals to aid in balance. When these stones are displaced due to head trauma, you may experience severe dizziness or vertigo. The precise cause of this displacement is not always known. Vertigo is a spinning, whirling, or turning sensation. Those suffering from vertigo frequently experience the sensation that the room is moving or spinning, and they may lose their balance and have difficulty standing or walking. Changes in head position are the most common cause of BPPV. The severity of the disorder varies; some people only experience mild symptoms, while others may experience more severe, even debilitating symptoms. Non-invasive methods such as canalith repositioning maneuvers can easily and effectively treat the majority of affected individuals. However, BPPV can reoccur even after successful treatment. BBPV is difficult to treat because symptoms come and go, with some episodes lasting less than a minuteBenign paroxysmal positional vertigo can sometimes resolve on its own. If not, you may require professional medical attention to alleviate your symptoms. To protect your health and your injury claim, always see a doctor after an accident to diagnose your vertigo.
Because more calcium can become dislodged, recurrences are possible. The treatment maneuvers return the calcium particles to the main vestibule, where they originated, and vertigo goes away. It is not uncommon to experience mild to severe BPPV following a car accident. If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence and you now suffer from BPPV, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and other losses. Consult with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano to see if a fair settlement is possible. We help clients throughout Upstate New York, with offices in multiple convenient locations. Our extensive experience in the personal injury field is reflected in the results we have achieved for our clients.
Since the late 1800s, BPPV has been recognized as a clinical entity. The term “benign” refers to a disorder that does not progress and is not considered serious. Despite its benign label, BPPV can disrupt a person’s daily activities and negatively impact their quality of life. The symptoms can be extremely upsetting. Ordinary movements such as turning on one’s side, lying down, looking up, stooping, or bending over can frequently trigger an episode. When people get out of bed and try to walk, they may fall out of bed or lose their balance. They may fall if they tilt their heads back or forward while walking, risking injury. Vertigo can make a person feel ill, causing nausea and vomiting. While vertigo is the hallmark of BPPV, many people with the condition also experience mild unsteadiness in between attacks of positional vertigo.
BPPV can have a sudden and frightening onset. People may believe they are seriously ill, thinking they may be having a stroke. A doctor’s early diagnosis of BPPV can be reassuring, especially when people realize there is help available to alleviate their symptoms. The severity of the disorder varies greatly from person to person. The speed of head movement, the volume of calcium crystals moved, and a person’s innate sensitivity to motion are all factors that may influence the severity. Only a slight shift in head position can cause symptoms in some people. This extreme sensitivity can result in frequent sensations of tilting or dizziness in such cases. Despite a rapid change in head position, the disorder may only cause mild symptoms in some people. Symptoms in some affected individuals may be caused only by very precise, specific movements. The duration of BPPV symptoms can also vary, potentially lasting days, weeks, or months or becoming recurrent over many years.
Nystagmus, an eye movement disorder characterized by rapid, involuntary eye movements, is a commonly associated finding with BPPV. The eyes are said to jump or twitch in certain directions. The nystagmus associated with BPPV is fatigable, which means that if the position change that caused the original vertigo and nystagmus is repeated, the nystagmus will lessen in severity over time.
If you or someone you love has developed BPPV after a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, our office can help. The experienced personal injury attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano have won cases for our clients across the Upstate New York area, including Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Elmira, Binghamton, Auburn, Ithaca, Oswego, Norwich, Herkimer, Delhi, Cooperstown, Cortland, Lowville, Oneida, Watertown, Utica, Canandaigua, Wampsville, Lyons, and surrounding areas. Please call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us via our online form to discuss your case.