Recovery of Regular Daily Physical Activities Prevents Residual Dizziness after Canalith Repositioning Procedures.

OBJECTIVE

Residual dizziness is a disorder of unknown pathophysiology, which may occur after repositioning procedures for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This study evaluates the relationship between regular daily physical activity and the development of residual dizziness after treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

Academic university hospital.

METHODS

Seventy-one patients admitted with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving the posterior semicircular canal were managed with Epley's procedure. Three days after successful treatment, the patients underwent a telephone interview to investigate vertigo relapse. If the patients no longer complained of vertigo, they were asked about symptoms consistent with residual dizziness. Subsequently, they were asked about the recovery of physical activities they regularly performed prior to the onset of vertigo.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients (age: 57.79 ± 15.05) were enrolled: five (7.24%) reported vertigo relapse whereas twenty-one of sixty-four non-relapsed patients (32.81%) reported residual dizziness. A significant difference in the incidence of residual dizziness was observed considering the patients' age ( = 0.0003). Of the non-relapsed patients, 46 (71.88%) recovered their regular dynamic daily activities after treatment and 9 (19.57%) reported residual dizziness, while 12 of the 18 patients (66.67%) who did not resume daily activity reported residual symptoms ( = 0.0003). A logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between daily activity resumption and lack of residual dizziness (OR: 14.01, 95% CI limits 3.14-62.47; = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of age, the resumption of regular daily physical activities is associated with a lack of residual dizziness.