It is a clinical condition characterized by sudden onset of very severe dizziness. In addition to dizziness, patients have severe nausea and vomiting. It is a situation that causes great distress to the patient. Dizziness can last for days. If treatment is not started, the disease is characterized by severe dizziness that continues uninterruptedly for the first 2-3 days. Generally, dizziness subsides after the 3rd day, but it takes 3-4 weeks for the patient to fully recover. The disease occurs due to viral infection of the balance nerve. The most commonly accused viruses are Herpes group viruses. Since the infection only affects the balance-related part of the inner ear, patients do not have hearing problems.
The diagnosis of the disease is made by history, as well as normal hearing in the audiological evaluation and detection of canal paralysis in the caloric test. .
In the acute phase of treatment, patients are treated with antivertigenous and antiemetic drugs to soothe symptoms for the first few days. In recent years, corticosteroids are thought to shorten the course of the disease. Patients should be encouraged to start vestibular exercises as soon as possible to accelerate their recovery. Antivertigenous treatment should not exceed 3 days. As the duration of drug use increases, the recovery period of the disease will be delayed.
Although a complete clinical recovery is achieved in patients within 3-4 weeks, the functions of the balance nerve may not always improve. Although the dizziness disappears in these patients, patients may feel short-term dizziness and imbalance during rapid head movements.
BPPV may develop after vestibular neuritis in some patients. This also needs to be treated separately.
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