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What Are the Causes of Positional Dizziness?

Vertigo or dizziness can be a caused by a number of underlying factors or diseases. Positional vertigo is most commonly a reference to benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is typically a symptom of an inner ear imbalance that occurs when debris is dislodged and moves around in the inner ear.

  1. Debris in Inner Ear

    • The inner ear consists in part of semicircular canals filled with fluid that send signals to the brain. It is believed that BPPV results when crystal-like debris is dislodged and bounces around, sending misleading signals to the brain resulting in vertigo, or a spinning sensation.

    Causes of Debris

    • Rarely is it possible to conclusively determine the reason for the appearance of this debris, but some possible causes include infections, a blow to the head, nerve inflammation, inner ear surgery or degeneration of the sensory system of the inner ear due to advancing age.

    Less Common Causes

    • The debris theory is the most common cause for positional vertigo. However, there are other less common causes, including migraine headaches, low blood pressure, stroke, brain tumors and heart arrhythmias. Certain prescription drugs can also cause BPPV.

    Risk Factors

    • According to the Chicago Dizziness and Hearing practice, the most common cause of BPPV in people under 50 is head injury. In older people, it is degeneration of the sensory system of the inner ear. Head injury and advanced age are the most prevalent risk factors.

    Diagnosis & Treatment

    • Diagnosis would be made by a physician who will take the patient through a series of head movements, including movement while lying down. If a serious cause is suspected, the physician may suggest that a CT or MRI be performed. Treatment ranges from in-home physical therapy to motion sickness medication.

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