Journal Reviews
Booklet-based supervised vs. non-supervised vestibular rehabilitation
There are conflicting results in the literature about home-based vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT) as opposed to physiotherapist-led training. A randomised controlled trial was designed to interrogate this further. The primary aim was to assess “the effects of a booklet-based exercise...
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo manoeuvres in children and adolescents: a systematic review
In this paper of Saniasiaya et al, the literature review is conducted in accordance to the PRISMA consensus, aiming to investigate the outcomes of canalith repositioning manoeuvres (CRM) to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in a paediatric and young...
Cervicogenic vertigo, a view from the experts
Many readers would be familiar with the term ‘cervicogenic vertigo’ to mean neck-related vertigo or dizziness. In simple terms, this disorder has been defined as dizziness/vertigo caused by neck pain and/or stiffness. By implication, the vertigo/dizziness should resolve by treating...
Measurement of HINTS in peripheral vestibulopathy
Dizziness; Head impulse test; Nystagmus; Skew deviation; Vertigo.
Subtypes of vestibular migraine
The authors argue that the current Barany criteria (ICVD) for vestibular migraine (definite and probable – dVM and pVM) are too restrictive. For instance, whereas a category of chronic migraine with or without aura is recognised in ICHD-3, ‘chronic VM’...
Obstructive sleep apnoea in common vestibular disorders
The importance of getting a good night’s sleep is often acknowledged but may be particularly difficult to achieve for those with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In addition to high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke and depression, balance problems may...
Continuous Ambulatory Vestibular Assessment (CAVA)
This article presents initial test findings using a novel system called CAVA - Continuous Ambulatory Vestibular Assessment. Akin to the 24-hour ECG tape to identify cardiac arrhythmias, this system aims to continuously monitor the presence of a nystagmus pattern in...
Vestibular migraine or BPPV?
There are close similarities between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and vestibular migraine (VM) as both can be presented by positional nystagmus. Though BPPV remains the commonest cause of pure positional vertigo, VM can mimic this condition. This study is...
A predictor of successful treatment of posterior canal BPPV
Reversal of nystagmus on returning to the upright sitting position from the Hallpike position is a common observation. However, its relevance as a predictor of a successful canal repositioning manoeuvre (CRM) is not known, hence this study. The retrospective study...
The vestibular system is not immune to chronic otitis media
It is well recognised that chronic otitis media (COM) is a risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss. Studies on the effect of COM on vestibular function have been beset by design biases. The authors designed a case control study to...
Reliability of modified Dix-Hallpike test
Modifications of the Dix-Hallpike (DH) are sometimes necessary when the traditional DH is not feasible. The absence of any formal studies on modified DH was the idea behind this multicentre (three academic centres), prospective, randomised, single blinded and controlled clinical...
Does the season affect the diagnosis of vestibular disorders?
There are mixed results in the literature regarding seasonal variation in the presentation of various peripheral vestibular disorders. In this large population study involving over 20,000 patients recruited from 116 ENT practices across Germany, the authors analysed the demographic characteristics...
