A Review of the Quality of Life after Therapeutic Maneuvers in Patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

INTRODUCTION: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of peripheral vestibular disturbances. Particle repositioning or liberatory maneuvers provide relief of symptoms in the majority of patients. However, studies mainly focus on success. This study aims to review the conditions that may have an impact on residual dizziness or recurrence following therapeutic maneuvers in patients with BPPV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the literature about the analysis of quality of life after therapeutic maneuvers was conducted. Three hundred and seven articles after search in the PubMed database were classified into eight main groups after exclusion of those that are not suitable to predetermined criteria. RESULTS: Thirty-eight articles for residual dizziness in BPPV, eighty-three articles for the duration of BPPV, forty articles for the type of canal involvement, forty-three articles for the impact of age, one hundred and nine articles for the gender difference, forty-seven articles for co-morbid conditions, one hundred and twenty-four articles for medication and sixty-eight articles for vestibular exercises in BPPV were selected. CONCLUSION: VEMP abnormality is a reliable indicator to demonstrate the risk of recurrence. Duration of dizziness has no significant impact on recurrence. But the length of duration is important for residual dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation or medication alone has no place in treatment but may help to reduce the symptoms in addition to maneuver. Self-perceived evaluation of balance after therapeutic maneuvers is recommended for the selection of those who need rehabilitation or additional medication.