Meniere’s Disease vs BPPV (how to tell the difference)

August 18, 2023

If you’re suffering from vertigo, dizziness and lightheadedness, your first step in eliminating these annoying symptoms is to figure out the cause/diagnosis.

Two of the most common causes of vertigo and dizziness are Meniere’s Disease and BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo).

In this video, I’ll break down how to tell the difference between these two causes.

Here’s a quick rundown of the main points:

->> BPPV is often sudden and intense, following specific positional changes

->> Meniere’s is not as sudden and doesn’t often involve positional changes

->> The duration of vertigo is typically shorter with BPPV (10-20 seconds)

->> The duration of vertigo with Meniere’s is often 20 minutes to several hours

->> Meniere’s often involves tinnitus (ringing in the ears) as well as hearing loss (BPPV doesn’t)

->> BPPV will typically reveal rapid eye movements (nystagmus) with positional testing, while Meniere’s does not

If you have more questions on diagnosing the cause of your vertigo or dizziness, please leave a comment below the video over on YouTube!

– Luke Gordon, DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy/Owner of Gordon Physical Therapy) https://www.gordonphysicaltherapy.com/balance-fall-prevention/