Tag: dizziness

Categories : Diseases, Syndromes and ConditionsTags :

Exacerbating Factors in Persistent Postural-perceptual Dizziness

On By ModernMedia
Woman feeling dizzy and kneeling
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Researchers have found that found that patients developing persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) are likely to have exacerbating factors soon after the onset of balance disorder symptoms. The results were reported in Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology.

When people experience vestibular symptoms, it can develop into persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD), a chronic disorder where patients experience dizziness and non-spinning vertigo, particularly during moving, maintaining an upright posture, and when exposed to complex visual stimuli. However, not all individuals suffering from vestibular symptoms go on to develop PPPD, and it unclear whether people showing exacerbating factors for PPPD tend to develop PPPD or not.

Assistant Professor Kayoko Kabaya led a team that analysed medical records of patients who were tested for vestibular symptoms for the first time to identify predictive factors for developing PPPD later on, and to see if the presence of exacerbating factors early on increases the likelihood of developing chronic PPPD. “PPPD is often severe and resistant to treatment. We believe that it is important to provide preventive interventions before PPPD develops, and wanted to identify the characteristics of patients who are prone to PPPD,” explained Dr Kabaya.

In their study, the severity of the symptoms experienced by the patients was scored with a questionnaire which involved questions on the exacerbating factors. Additionally, the perceived handicap due to dizziness was evaluated using a self-assessment scale. There was three months of follow-up, and the symptom scores of patients developing PPPD during the follow-up were compared with that of patients who did not develop PPPD.

More than half of the patients reported experiencing exacerbating factors shortly after the vestibular symptoms. About 10% of these patients developed PPPD during the follow-up period, and the exacerbating factors were found to have a more severe effect on the vestibular symptoms. Notably, the symptom scores of those who developed PPPD were significantly higher than that of those who did not.

“Our results suggest that patients who develop PPPD are likely to have its exacerbating factors at the early stages of the disease following the onset of vestibular symptoms,” said Dr Kabaya.

The researchers believe the results could lead to preventive measures against the disease. “PPPD is a disease that causes long-term social loss and occurs following acute vestibular symptoms. Based on our finding that patients with exacerbating factors during acute vestibular symptom are more likely to develop PPPD, our study could encourage the development of intervention protocols for such patients before they develop PPPD,” said Dr Kabaya.

Source: Nagoya City University

Categories : Lab Tests and ImagingTags :

A New Test to Diagnose Dizziness without Deafening

On By ModernMedia
Source: Miika Luotio on Unsplash

Swedish researchers have developed a new way to diagnose dizziness problems in a simpler and less painful way than the old method. A bone conduction speaker, easily attached behind the ear, can make the diagnosis more efficient and safer – especially for patients with pre-existing hearing problems.

For patients with dizziness, the relationship of dizziness and hearing is used for diagnosis. Typically, a ‘VEMP’ test (Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials) is performed. With loud sounds, the test evokes a muscle reflex contraction in the neck and eye muscles, triggered by the vestibular system. In their new approach, reported in Communications Medicine, researchers at Chalmers University instead made use of bone-conducted sounds to achieve better results.

“We have developed a new type of vibrating device called B250 that is placed behind the ear of the patient during the test,” said Bo Håkansson, a professor at Chalmers University. “The vibrating device is small and compact in size and optimised to provide an adequate sound level for triggering the reflex at frequencies as low as 250 Hz, which we have found to be optimal for VEMP stimulation. Previously, no vibrating device has been available that was directly adapted for this type of test of the balance system.”

In bone conduction transmission, sound waves are transformed into vibrations through the skull, stimulating the cochlea within the ear, in the same way as when sound waves normally go through the ear canal, the eardrum and the middle ear. This can be used in various technologies such as in hearing aids.

Half of over-65s suffer from dizziness, but the causes can be difficult to diagnose for several reasons. Dizziness in 50% of those cases results from vestibular system problems. But current VEMP methods have major shortcomings and can cause hearing loss and discomfort for patients. The VEMP test uses very high sound levels which can cause permanent hearing damage. Additionally, if certain types of hearing loss are already present, the test can be inconclusive.

“The previous test was like a machine gun going off next to the ear – with this bone-conduction method it will be much more comfortable. The sound levels to which patients are exposed can be minimised. The test can be performed at 40 decibels lower than today’s method, which uses air-conducted sounds through headphones. This eliminates the risk that the test itself could cause hearing damage,” said researcher Karl-Johan Fredén Jansson, who made all the measurements in the project.

“The benefits also include safer testing for children, and that patients with impaired hearing function due to chronic ear infections or congenital malformations in the ear canal and middle ear can still be diagnosed for the origin of their dizziness,” said Prof Håkansson.

The device has now been tested and developed in several patient studies that have been published internationally, both with healthy individuals to obtain normal data, and in patients suffering from various types of dizziness. The device is compatible with standardised equipment for balance diagnostics in healthcare, which makes it easy to use. In addition to the benefits for patients, the cost of the new technology is also judged to be lower than the corresponding equipment used today.

Source: News-Medical.Net