You roll over in bed and the room suddenly spins hard for a few seconds. You look up to a high shelf and it happens again. It’s brief, intense and unsettling, and it often arrives out of nowhere.
That very specific pattern, short bursts of spinning triggered by head movements, is the classic sign of BPPV. It’s the most common cause of vertigo, and also one of the most treatable.
What is BPPV?
BPPV stands for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Inside your inner ear are tiny crystals that help sense movement. Sometimes they come loose and drift into a part of the ear where they don’t belong. When you move your head, they shift and send a false “you’re spinning” signal to your brain.
The key features are:
- Short spinning episodes, usually seconds rather than hours
- Triggered by head movements: lying down, rolling over, looking up
- No hearing loss or ear pain
What is the Epley manoeuvre?
The Epley manoeuvre is a simple sequence of guided head and body movements that walk those loose crystals back to where they belong. It looks too simple to work, but for the right type of BPPV it’s remarkably effective, often settling the vertigo in one or two sessions.
It should be done after a proper assessment, because the exact technique depends on which ear and which canal is involved. Done blindly, the wrong version can make things worse.
Can I just do it at home from a video?
Some people try, but there’s a catch. If you treat the wrong side or the wrong canal, you can move the crystals somewhere less helpful. A quick assessment confirms the diagnosis and which version you actually need, which is why it’s worth having it checked rather than guessing from a video.
What if it keeps coming back?
BPPV can recur, and some people are more prone to it. If it returns, the manoeuvre can simply be repeated, and a physiotherapist can teach you a home version once you know your pattern. Recurring dizziness that isn’t clearly positional may be a different cause, like a neck-driven problem, which is worth assessing.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Epley manoeuvre hurt?
No. It can briefly bring on the spinning sensation during the movements, which is expected, but it isn’t painful.
How fast does it work?
Often very fast. Many people notice a clear improvement after one or two sessions.
Is BPPV dangerous?
No, it’s benign, as the name says. It’s unpleasant and can affect your balance, but it isn’t a sign of anything sinister.
If you’re getting short bursts of spinning when you move your head, it’s very likely something that can be fixed quickly. A physiotherapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation can confirm it and treat it. You can book a session here.
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Marcos Jusdado is a physiotherapist and osteopath at Craft Clinic, The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, in the heart of Dubai. With 9 years of experience and over 12,000 sessions, he specialises in sport physiotherapy, functional neurology (P-DTR), vestibular rehabilitation and chronic pain, working with everyone from DIFC professionals to athletes. His approach focuses on finding the root cause of pain rather than just treating the symptoms.
