Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Updated: 2022-11-09

Overview

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) usually happens after a change in head position, such as lying down. Most often it affects people age 50 and older. It's more common in women than in men. It's not often serious, except when it raises the chance of falling.

Symptoms

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo may cause a sense of spinning. It might make a person dizzy. It also may cause an upset stomach, vomiting, a loss of balance or an unsteady feeling. The symptoms can come and go. They tend to last less than a minute. These symptoms can go away and then start again.

Treatments

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo might go away on its own a few weeks or months after it starts. A health care provider may be able to treat it sooner. The provider may ask the person to do many simple, slow head movements. This is called the canalith repositioning procedure.