Investigation into dizziness before and after Epleyʹs maneuver for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo using stabilometry

Objective To investigate the cause of dizziness after Epleyʹs maneuver using stabilometry. Methods Subjects were 35 patients with posterior canal type BPPV. First we performed stabilometry, next Epleyʹs maneuver, then stabilometry was performed again. The enveloped area and the locus length per second of stabilometry were compared. Results Seventeen patients reported a feeling of dizziness after the treatment, whereas the other 18 patients did not. The patients were divided into two groups: 17 patients with dizziness (WD) and 18 patients without dizziness (WOD) after the treatment. In the WD group, the enveloped area (P = 0.0495) and the locus length per second (P = 0.0099) before Epleyʹs maneuver were significantly lower than those after Epleyʹs maneuver. In the WOD group, there was no significant difference in the stabilometry parameter between values obtained before and after Epleyʹs maneuver. There were no significant differences found in either parameter between these two groups either before or after applying Epleyʹs maneuver. Conclusions Epleyʹs maneuver is a treatment for the posterior semicircular canal. Malfunction of the otolith organ remains. It is considered that the cause of dizziness after Epleyʹs maneuver comes from otolith dysfunction.