BPPV: What It Is, How It’s Treated, and What You Need to Know

When your world spins for no reason—especially when you roll over in bed or look up—you’re not imagining it. That’s BPPV, a common inner ear disorder that causes brief, intense episodes of vertigo triggered by head position changes. Also known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, it’s not dangerous, but it can make daily life feel like a rollercoaster. Unlike dizziness from low blood sugar or anxiety, BPPV has a clear physical cause: tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear get loose and float where they shouldn’t. They send false signals to your brain, telling you you’re moving when you’re not.

This isn’t just an old person’s problem. People in their 30s and 40s get it too—especially after head injuries, ear infections, or even just aging. The good news? canalith repositioning, a simple, non-invasive maneuver performed by physical therapists or even at home fixes it in most cases. The Epley maneuver, a type of canalith repositioning, works in over 80% of patients within one or two sessions. You don’t need drugs, surgery, or expensive tests. Just a trained hand or a clear video guide.

But here’s the catch: most doctors miss it. If you’ve been told you have "migraine-related dizziness" or "stress vertigo," you might be misdiagnosed. BPPV doesn’t cause hearing loss, ringing in the ears, or numbness. If your dizziness only hits when you change position—like sitting up, lying down, or turning your head—it’s likely BPPV. And if you’ve tried balance exercises or vestibular rehab without success, you might not have gotten the right treatment. Not all physical therapy for dizziness is the same. physical therapy for pain, including targeted vestibular rehab can help, but only if it’s focused on repositioning the crystals, not just general balance training.

Some people try herbal remedies, acupuncture, or supplements for BPPV. None of those fix the root cause. The crystals need to be moved back into place. Once they are, most people feel normal again within days. But if they drift again—and they often do—you’ll need to repeat the maneuver. That’s why knowing how to do it yourself, or recognizing when you need professional help, matters.

You’ll find real stories here from people who’ve been through this. Some got misdiagnosed for months. Others found relief after one visit to a physical therapist. There are guides on how to spot the signs early, what to ask your doctor, and how to avoid triggers like sleeping on the wrong side. You’ll also see how BPPV connects to other conditions—like steroid myopathy or medication-induced dizziness—that can make symptoms worse or harder to untangle.

This isn’t about fancy science. It’s about knowing what to do when your head spins. The treatments work. The answers are simple. You just need to know where to look.