St. Agnes Surgery

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  • Home
    • General Information
    • Meet the Team
    • Our Story
    • ______________________________
    • Accreditation
    • Child Safe Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Fees
    • Privacy Policy
    • New Patients and Workcover Patients
    • Acknowledgement of Country
  • News
    • Career Opportunities
    • Latest News
    • "Your Doctor"
    • Coronavirus
    • PBS and Medicare Safety Nets
  • Services
    • Duty Doctor
    • GP Roster
    • General Practice
    • Covid 19 Booking Information
    • Ear Microsuction
    • Mental Health
    • Men's Health >
      • Prostate Health
    • Women's Health >
      • Breast Health
      • Menopause & HRT
      • Contraception - Implanted Contraception
      • Cervical Screening
      • Planning for Pregnancy
    • Preventative Care
    • Programs & Clinics >
      • Asthma Program
      • CardioVascular Program
      • "Closing The Gap"
      • Coordinated Veterans Care (CVC)
      • Diabetes Clinic
      • Duty Doctor
      • Iron Infusion
      • Immunisation
      • Molescan
      • Cervical Screening Clinic
      • Seniors Health Assess.
    • Screening Tests
    • Seniors Health
    • Specialist Centre
    • Useful Links
  • FAQ Sheets
    • Advanced Directives
    • Asthma
    • Atrial Fibrillation
    • BP Vertigo
    • Bowel Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • CVD
    • Cholesterol
    • Chronic Heart Failure
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • COPD
    • Diabetes
    • Depression
    • Ecomony Class Syndrome
    • Gout
    • Haemochromatosis
    • IBS
    • Meningococcal
    • Osteoperosis
    • P. Rheumatica & T. Arteritis
    • Sleep Apnoea
    • Warfarin
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    • Australian Immunisation Schedule
    • Chickenpox
    • Gardasil - HPV
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    • Hepatitis B
    • Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
    • Hib
    • Influenza
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BENIGN POSITIONAL VERTIGO

Benign Positional Vertigo is the most common form of vertigo - its incidence increasing with age. Episodes are typically of very sudden onset and patients may wake with them. The dizziness is normally a sensation of uncontrolled rolling (towards the side of the affected ear), with balance disturbance and associated nausea or vomiting. Once triggered, the vertigo may persist for days or even months - the symptoms are aggravated by head movement. The severity can vary from mild to severe.

In individuals certain head movements will aggravate the symptoms - these may be rolling over in bed, tilting the head backwards, moving from lying to sitting or lying on one side.


Benign Positional Vertigo is caused by crystals forming in the fluid filled chamber of the inner ear - if these crystals lodge in the sensitive 'semi-circular canals', which are part of the inner ear, they interfere with the nerve endings which sense movement and control balance - acute onset of vertigo being the result.

TREATMENT:
  • During an acute episode, keep the head as still as possible and avoid the particular head movements which trigger the symptoms.
  • Medications such as Stemetil or Serc will help control symptoms.
  • Be careful driving.
  • Exercises have been developed which may be of benefit and are designed to dislodge the crystals from the semi-circular canals - the Brandt-Daroff exercises are described below.
Brandt-Daroff Exercise:
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Method:
  1. Sit on the edge of a bed.
  2. Turn the head about 45 degrees to the left side and then quickly lie down onto your right side, ensuring the back of the head comes to rest on the bed.
  3. Remain in that position for 20 to 30 seconds until any dizziness has settled.
  4. Sit up straight and wait for a further 20 to 30 seconds until any dizziness has settled.
  5. Repeat on the other side (turning head to right and lying on left side etc).

​The exercises should be performed around 5 times to each side and repeated 3 times a day - each session taking around 10  minutes.

The exercise is thought to be beneficial only if it reproduces dizziness.
St. Agnes Surgery
1251 North East Road, Ridgehaven, SA  5097
P: 08 8264 3333   F: 08 8263 8590
E: mail@stagnessurgery.com.au
Tea Tree Medical Centre
975 North East Road, Modbury, SA  5092
P: 08 8264 4555   F: 08 8263 9062    
E: 
mail@stagnessurgery.com.au
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​This website contains medical information that is of a general nature only and is intended for education and information. It is not intended as personal advice.
Although every effort is made to keep this website up to date, information is subject to change and as such, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed at all times.  
The contents of this website are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior permission & acknowledgement of St Agnes Surgery.  © 2016 St. Agnes Surgery.
The Practice would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Milton Hart for the majority of the content and Katrina Nichols of Kauri Computing for publishing our website.