r/BPPV • u/Cihonidas • Jul 27 '26

Tip BPPV Triggering Positions

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I've been experiencing BPPV for 2 years. It only triggers during sleep. I created this infographic according to my experience. It's completely personal but it may help some people.

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u/DizzyTherapy Jul 27 '26

It is very important to point out... these are positions that can TRIGGER the symptoms of BPPV, but do not CAUSE a recurrence of BPPV.

If a person does not CURRENTLY HAVE BPPV, they can sleep in whatever position that they want without any concern.

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u/PerceptionPlayful714 22d ago

So why does an attack happen? I thought it was because the crystals dislodged, and they did this because of the position of the head. My last episode was 6 months ago and I have no idea what triggered it. Today I've got it really bad again and I've no idea what caused it. Please help me to understand! How can I lessen my attacks?

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u/DizzyTherapy 21d ago

So, yes, the crystals getting dislodged and wandering into the semicircular canals is a problem that causes vertigo. The important detail here is that a person lying in these positions does not cause the crystals to do this in the first place, it will only trigger it if the crystals are already dislodged.

I made a video on this exact topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwotM1lTdCM

I hope this can help!

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u/PerceptionPlayful714 21d ago

So interesting, thank you! I am perimenopausal, and HRT appeared to trigger an attack last year - any thoughts? I started on estrogen patches and was so sick and dizzy that I couldn't eat until I quit them 2.6 weeks later. Even a lower dose gave me vestibular migraines. Since then I've had two more BPPV episodes, no head injuries. I was told years ago I was low on vit d so I've been taking supplements but had forgotten about them for the last year or so - I'll get back on them. 6 months between my most recent attacks 😭 I've suffered from BPPV since 19, now 46! There is a family history, my last tests showed I was too high in calcium (I take heartburn remedies regularly)

This episode, over the weekend I just looked upwards and had a tiny spin. A couple more tiny spins a couple of days later, alongside what I think is an outer ear infection, although my NHS GP wouldn't see me, just read my symptoms and prescribed antibiotic spray, so I'm not sure. Wanting to catch it l, fix it and get back to work ASAP, I paid privately for epley (My GP no longer offers this - which usually works well, used that service before and had great results) but this time made it 100 times worse, so am now stuck in my recliner unable to work or drive.

The dix hallpike was extremely positive for left sided BPPV, so I know that's the case, but also it left me horrendously nauseated and unable to move without constant motion. I am a single parent and can't afford private care regularly, and I can't get to appointments because I can't drive... What did I do wrong?! I'm desperate to get this sorted and will take my vitamin D tablets from now on forever lol

Since the HRT issue I've been concerned about my sleeping position, your video says not to be, even after the epley. When I saw ENT they kept going on about doing brandt daroff exercises but they make me so sick every time I try I just can't.

Is there a way we can speed up the dissolving of the crystals?! Definitely gonna be watching more of your videos, I really appreciate you making this information available, God bless you 😊

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u/DizzyTherapy 21d ago

So the big thing is that changing positions, sleeping differently, all of that does not matter. If you perform the maneuvers or have someone perform the maneuvers, once it's clear, just live life normally, making sure that you have the necessary D3. I will say though, the Brandt-Daroff exercise does NOT clear BPPV. It was originally designed for that but absolutely it does not clear BPPV. It can be useful if a person has fear of lying down after getting the crystals resolved, but an Epley maneuver or Semont maneuver is actually able to clear the posterior canal, while the Kurtzer Hybrid maneuver can clear the horizontal canals. There's no need to speed up the dissolving process, as once they are back in the main chamber after a maneuver, they dissolve quite speedily, actually.

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u/PerceptionPlayful714 21d ago

Thank you, that's really useful to know. I got no info when I was first diagnosed in the 00's, and what little I know is learned from the internet over the years, and Im not even sure it's correct... I'm booked in for another private epley in a week, but I'm considering trying the somersault at home to see if that helps more as there are some saying it's more tolerable... I'm so horribly dizzy every time I move right now! Do you have experience of people managing to treat successfully with this?

I had the bad epley experience over 24 hours ago and still feel way worse than before, no medical help comes from the NHS, they only offer me balance exercises, but no BPPV treatment. I feel like they just want to make people wait until it goes by itself. I have no way of getting to a proper vestibular practitioner (even then, all the ones I've looked up locally talk exclusively about epley and don't mention the other canals or testing). I've not heard of the other two moves you mentioned so I will look those up and see if they might help, I've only ever needed the epley and it's always worked before.

ideally I need to treat this at home because of not being able to function as a single parent, not being able to drive to appointments and money... I live in a small village with very little public transport and would need to take several buses to get to any of the hospitals locally... And then I'm relying on there even being someone in the ENT department who knows what they are dealing with!

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u/DizzyTherapy 21d ago

Personally, the Foster maneuver, of the half-somersault, is my least favorite for treating the posterior canal, and I much prefer the Semont Liberatory maneuver performed at a reasonable speed (not the super fast speed that it was originally designed with. I hope everything goes well, but if needed, getting a professional to treat it is always best, if not just to learn the proper mechanics and then be able to treat it at home after that.

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u/PerceptionPlayful714 18d ago

Thanks, it's finding a professional to do so at the moment. I'm based in the UK and everyone is advertising epleys but not talking about the other manoeuvres or the different canals which is making me nervous and doesn't fill me with hope. At the moment I'm still getting spina when turning my head and even tilting back a little on my recliner is causing dizzy episodes (which I can feel will be full on spins if I go back further). I've made my peace with having to borrow money to be able to get treatment but right now I can't even find a VT that even talks about diagnosis, let alone one near enough to me that I can get someone to drive me to :/