Characteristics of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Following an Earthquake

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Characteristics of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Following an Earthquake Via otol rhinol Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2021 Mar 14:3489421996914. doi: 10.1177/0003489421996914. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a commonly encountered peripheral vestibular disorder. People exposed to massive earthquakes experience intense and long-term problem associated with dizziness. The purpose of our study is to investigate this relationship and to demonstrate the efficacy of the treatment modalities used in the managemen t of patients with post-earthquake dizziness. METHODOLOGY: The study was carried out by examining the retrospective records of patients who presented with dizziness to the otorhinolaryngological outpatient unit before and after the Elazig earthquake that occurred on 24th Jan 2020. Parameters evaluated include patients' age and gender, onset of dizziness, accompanying symptoms and comorbidities, videonystagmography (VNG) findings, pre- and post-treatment Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: The number of patients who presented with dizziness to our outpatient clinic after the earthquake and were included in our study totaled 84. The number of patients who visited the outpatient clinic before the earthquake was identified to be 75. In the earthquake related group, while there was a statistically significant difference between residual symptoms (RS) and the need for repetitive repositioni ng maneuvers, there was no statistically significant difference detected for age, gender, and comorbidities. Also, no statistically significant difference was found in the pre- and post-treatment assessments of VAS, DHI, and HADS median values in the earthquake group. CONCLUSION: There was a remarkable increase in the number of patients presenting with dizziness in the early post-earthquake period. Management of these patients may differ from the classic BPPV. Residual symptoms appearing after performing repositioning maneuvers can be more commonly seen among these patients. PMID:33715462 | DOI:10.1177/0003489421996914 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.