Can cervical exercises alleviate residual dizziness? A retrospective study of patients after successful BPPV...

Residual dizziness affects a substantial proportion of patients after successful repositioning for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), posing a challenge for post-treatment management.

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effects of a four-week cervical exercise program on dizziness resolution and psychological status in patients with residual dizziness.

Sixty-three eligible patients, one week after successful repositioning, were alternately assigned to a cervical exercise group (n = 35) or a control group (n = 28). The intervention group performed seated cervical exercises twice daily. Outcomes were assessed using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) at two and four weeks post-follow-up.

After two weeks, the cervical exercise group demonstrated significantly lower total and subscale DHI scores compared with the control group (p < 0.001 for all). After four weeks, a higher proportion of patients in the exercise group reported absence of residual dizziness (88.6% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.021) and exhibited significantly lower SAS scores (p < 0.001).

A structured cervical exercise program suggests a potential benefit in alleviating residual dizziness and reducing associated anxiety in post-BPPV patients. This accessible, non-pharmacological intervention represents a promising adjunct to standard care for improving functional recovery and quality of life.