What Is Positional Nystagmus a Sign Of?

Nystagmus is characterized by involuntary, rapid eye movements from side to side and sometimes up and down. Positional nystagmus is a specific type of nystagmus that occurs when the head is in different positions, excluding vertical. Most often, nystagmus is congenital, but it may be caused by certain diseases.

Congenital

• Most patients with nystagmus inherit it at birth. With this type of nystagmus, the eyes move together in a rapid pendulum motion. It may improve over time, but typically will worsen with stress or fatigue.

Acquired Nystagmus

• Acquired nystagmus is caused by trauma, disease or neurological disorders. Problems that may cause nystagmus include head injury, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, stroke and side effects of medication.

Meniere's Disease

• Meniere's disease is an inner-ear condition that causes spontaneous vertigo and dizziness, periods of hearing loss and nystagmus, which may be positional or not. Acquired nystagmus as a sign of Meniere's disease is usually temporary.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is characterized by sudden bouts of dizziness associated with sudden changes in head position. The episodes of dizziness are almost always accompanied by positional nystagmus.