Vestibular

The following are brief descriptions of current, active research projects taking place in our clinic focusing on understanding vertigo.

A  Comparison of the Efficacy of Home Exercises in the Treatment of Benign Positional Vertigo

This is a blinded, controlled study of exercises used to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (COMIRB 06-1166) .  We compare the most frequently-used exercise, the Epley maneuver , to an exercise  developed at UCD, the Half somersault.  These two are compared in the following ways:

• Ease of use and tolerability when applied by patients
• Efficacy when self-applied under observation
• Long term efficacy when self-applied at home for recurrences

 
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP): Clinical Utility in the Diagnosis of Vestibular Disorders

The purpose of this descriptive study (COMIRB Protocol #05-1110) is to determine the clinical utility of vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing in the diagnosis of vestibular disorders.  We will:

• Determine the correlation between VEMP abnormalities, videonystagmography (VNG) test abnormalities, and hearing loss
• Define the most useful parameters of VEMP waveform for specific vestibular disorders.

Author: Carol A. Foster, MD