Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Clinical observations by vestibular habituation training and by posturography

Vestibular Habituation Training (VHT) is the treatment of choice for paroxysmal positional vertigo (ppv). The origin of the disturbance is peripheral and the data observed in the cases treated confirm that it is not located in horizontal canal function. However, canal dysfunction can be present together with ppv. Usually a separate course is observed for the phenomena attributed to horizontal dysfunction and those to the ppv lesion. The specificity of the Dix-Hallpike manoeuvres linked to the typical ppv is also confirmed by the data obtained by testing for VHT (VHT-test-battery). Ppv can have a repercussion upon the vestibulospinal reflex. That the same ppv disturbance can coincide with normal as well as with abnormal posturographic data, pleads for the intervention of central adaptive mechanisms. The effect of VHT is due to stimulation of these central adaptive mechanisms and not to any impact upon the peripheral lesion.