The Effectiveness of Vestibular Physiotherapy for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Patients with Residual Dizziness After Successful Canalith Repositioning Maneuver

Background: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is considered a common cause of vertigo. Some patients experience residual dizziness (RD) even after canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM). Vestibular Physiotherapy (VP) is often used to manage these symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of VP combined with vestibular sedatives (VS) compared with VS alone in patients with BPPV and RD after successful CRM.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 48 patients with BPPV and RD following successful CRM. In the alternative (non-blind) sampling, consecutive participants were assigned to Group A and Group B, respectively, until the sample size was reached. Group A received only VS, while Group B received both VS and VP. Demographic data were collected using a biodata sheet. Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and a 10-point Likert scale were used as measuring tools.
Results: The study included 30 females and 18 males, aged 18-75. No significant baseline difference was observed between groups [DHI (p=0.63, t = -0.48); Likert scores (p= 0.26)]. After 4 weeks, Group B showed a significant improvement in the Likert score and the DHI physical subscale (p<0.05).  A statistically significant association was observed (p< 0.05) between Age and DHI scores at baseline and after 4 weeks. Both groups showed significant improvements in total DHI score independently (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: It is more effective to use VP with VS than VS alone for managing RD in patients with BPPV.