Clinical research progress on acupuncture for the treatment of otogenic vertigo

Otogenic vertigo is a common disorder that affects the vestibular system,which often results in considerable discomfort and impaired daily functioning.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),including acupuncture and moxibustion,has been historically utilized to manage the symptoms of vertigo.However,the effectiveness and methodology of these treatments have rarely been investigated in the medical literature.This study reviews the existing literature on the point selection,method,and therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion to provide a reference for the TCM treatment of otogenic vertigo.A literature search was performed using the PubMed search engine.The terms used included otogenic vertigo,acupuncture treatment,and acupuncture point selection.A total of 34 relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed.These suggest that the clinical treatment of otogenic vertigo should consider the functions of zang-fu organs and meridians and select different acupuncture treatment methods according to syndrome differentiation based on the difference between deficiency and excess.Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy should be based on acupoint selection,considering the syndrome differentiation,supplemented with experience.The treatment of otogenic vertigo with acupuncture and moxibustion refers to the selection of appropriate acupuncture methods under the guidance of TCM theory and following the principles of syndrome,disease,and meridian differentiation.Common acupuncture methods include body acupuncture,auricular acupuncture,scalp acupuncture,acupoint injection,electroacupuncture,and moxibustion.There are many acupuncture and moxibustion acupoints selected for the treatment of otogenic vertigo.Individualized treatment according to the patient’s specific condition is effective and safe,which can help to improve the patient’s vertigo symptoms and cerebral blood perfusion.

Acute isolated vertigo with vertical up-beating nystagmus: A rare case of nucleus intercalatus of Staderini ischemia

The role of intercalatus nucleus of Staderini(INS),the most caudal of the perihypoglossal nuclei,is much debated.Last research seems to suggest that this nucleus plays a role as a vertical eyes movements integrator.The few clinical reports present in the literature that describe isolated lesions of the INS have described patients presenting in acute with up-beating vertical spontaneous nystagmus.Isolated acute lesion of INS is,in fact,much rare,and,without other neurological signs,is exceptional.We present a case of acute isolated vertigo with no other neurological signs or symptoms,due to INS ischemia provoked by vertebral artery stenosis.The patient presented with spontaneous vertical up-beating nystagmus that showed at videonystagmographic recording,a clear exponential decay of angular slow-phase velocity,that is considered a typical sign of neural integrator impairment.This case seems to represent a further confirm that INS is part,as a vertical-to-position neural integrator,of the neural circuit controlling the vertical eyes movements.

“Sitting-up vertigo as an expression of posterior semicircular canal heavy cupula and posterior semicircular canal short arm canalolithiasis”

Background:Vestibular symptoms on sitting-up are frequent on patients seen by vestibular specialists.Recently,a benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV)variant which elicits vestibular symptoms with oculomotor evidence of posterior semicircular canal(P-SCC)cupula stimulation on sitting-up was described and named sitting-up vertigo BPPV.A periampullar restricted P-SCC canalolithiasis was proposed as a causal mechanism.Objective:To describe new mechanisms of action for the sitting-up vertigo BPPV variant.Methods:Eighteen patients with sitting-up vertigo BPPV were examined with a pre-established set of positional maneuvers and follow-up until they resolved their symptoms and clinical findings.Results:All patients showed up-beating torsional nystagmus(UBTN)and vestibular symptoms on coming up from either Dix-Hallpike(DHM)or straight head-hanging maneuver.Sixteen out of 18 patients presented a sustained UBTN with an ipsitorsional component to the tested side on half-Hallpike maneuver(HH).A slower persistent contratorsional down-beating nystagmus was found in eleven out18 patients tested on nose down position(ND).Conclusions:Persistent direction changing positional nystagmus on HH and ND positions indicative of PSCC heavy cupula was found in 11 patients.A sustained UBTN on HH with the absence of findings on ND,which is suggestive of the presence of P-SCC short arm canalolithiasis,was found on 5 patients.All patients were treated with canalith repositioning maneuvers without success,but they resolved their findings by means of Brandt-Daroff exercises.We propose P-SCC heavy cupula and P-SCC short arm canalolithiasis as two new putative mechanisms for the sitting-up vertigo BPPV variant.

Probable benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, spontaneously resolved:Incidence in medical practice, patients’ characteristics and the natural course

Background: Probable benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, spontaneously resolved (pBPPVsr), is a variant of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in which there is no observable nystagmus and no vertigo with any positional maneuver. Objectives: To calculate the incidence pBPPVsr, compare the characteristics of the patients with pBPPVsr and BPPV not spontaneously resolved and describe the spontaneous resolution in the natural course of BPPV. Methods: Multicenter prospective descriptive study. During a one-year period, all patients with suspected BPPV that presented to the Neurotology Units of five participating centers were recruited. The incidence of pBPPVsr was calculated as a percentage of the total number of patients with BPPV. The prevalence of several variables was compared between pBPPVsr and BPPV not spontaneously resolved. The timing of spontaneous resolution was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: 457 patients met the inclusion criteria. The incidence of pBPPVsr was 33.5%. It was significantly higher in males, in patients with normal bone mass and in patients who were not taking sulpiride. A rate of 18% of spontaneous resolution after the first month and 51% after the first year was found. This percentage did not change in a significant way after this moment. The curves for males, patients under 50 and patients with normal blood pressure decreased significantly faster. Conclusions: In our serie, BPPV spontaneously resolved in half of the patients with BPPV during the first year. This seemed to occur more commonly in males and could have been hindered by sulpiride intake, osteoporosis, advanced age and high blood pressure.

Safety of different acupuncture manipulations for posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo

Acupuncture at Fengchi（GB20） in the posterior neck improves vertigo.However,subarachnoid hemorrhage and spinal epidural hematoma have been reported to occur after acupuncture in the posterior neck.Therefore,in the present study,we assessed the safety of acupuncture at Fengchi.Laboratory tests and adverse event reports were used to evaluate the safety of different acupuncture manipulations for the treatment of posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo.A total of 136 patients were randomly assigned to four groups.Verum acupuncture was conducted with different needle insertion directions（contralateral paropia or prominentia laryngea） and different needle twisting frequencies（60 or 120 times/minute） at Fengchi and matching acupoints（for example,Zhongwan [CV12],Qihai [CV6],Zusanli [ST36],and Fenglong [ST40]）.The patients received 14 treatments over 3–4 weeks.Routine blood analysis,hepatic and renal function tests,urine and feces tests and electrocardiography were performed before the first treatment session and after the final session.Adverse events were recorded after every session.Of the 136 patients,120 completed the study.There were no significant differences between pretreatment and posttreatment test results in any of the groups.Only five patients suffered from minor adverse events（needling pain,slight hematoma and transient chest tightness）.No serious adverse events were found.Our results indicate that a 14-session course of needling at Fengchi is relatively safe for treating posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo.

Treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. A clinical review

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV) is the most frequent episodic vestibular disorder. It is due to otolith rests that are free into the canals or attached to the cupulas. Well over 90% of patients can be successfully treated with manoeuvres that move the particles back to the utriculus. Among the great variety of procedures that have been described, the manoeuvres that are supported by evidenced-based studies or extensive series are commented in this review. Some topics regarding BPPV treatment, such as controlling the accuracy of the procedures or the utility of post-manoeuvre restrictions are also discussed.

Climatic variations and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV) is probably the most common diagnosis at vertigo clinics.Seasonal cycles of several human illnesses could be attributed variously to changes in atmospheric or weather conditions.In this retrospective study,patients with BPPV from January 2010 to December 2012 were studied,and their charts were reviewed.Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in patients’ numbers among different months of the year.Also there is a significant statistical correlation between the numbers of patients with climatic variations especially the temperature.The present paper discusses the possible explanations for these results which confirms the seasonal variations in BPPV,together with a review of literature to view the possible associations with other disorders that causes such seasonality.

Quick repositioning maneuver for horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of quick repositioning maneuver for horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (H-BPPV). Methods:Clinical data of 67 patients with H-BPPV who underwent quick repositioning maneuver in our hospital from July 2009 to November 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The maneuver involved rotating the patient in the axial plane for 180? from the involved side towards contralateral side as quickly as possible. Results:Complete symptom resolution was achieved in 61 patients (91.0%) at one week and in 64 patients (95.5%) at 3 months post-treatment. During the repositioning maneuver process, there were no obvious untoward responses except transient nausea with or without vomiting in a few patients. Conclusion:The results indicate that the quick repositioning maneuver is an easy and effective alternative treatment in the management of H-BPPV. Copyright ? 2015 The Authors. Production & hosting by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd On behalf of PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Cerebellar artery infarction with sudden hearing loss and vertigo as initial symptoms: A case report

BACKGROUND Sudden hearing loss(SHL)is associated with serious systematic conditions such as neoplasms,vascular events,autoimmune diseases,infections,and iatrogenic injury.Some authors report that SHL can be an early warning sign of impending vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke.It is important to distinguish stroke from benign disease.CASE SUMMARY A 48-year-old male patient presented with SHL and vertigo as first symptoms.Diffusion-weighted imaging revealed high signal intensity in the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery territory of the cerebellar hemisphere and high signal intensity in the right pons and bridge cerebellar arm,confirming that the patient had cerebral infarction.Treatment with antiplatelet drugs,steroid antiinflammatory drugs,and neurotrophic nerve therapy promoted blood circulation and removed blood stasis,and the symptoms of the patient were significantly improved.CONCLUSION SHL and vertigo could be the initial symptoms of vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke.

A Clinical Study on the Effect of Yinxing Damo (银杏达莫) Combined with Betahistine Hydrochloride Injection on Vertebral Basilar Artery Ischemic Vertigo

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Yinxing Damo （银杏达莫, YXDM） combined with Betahistine Hydrochloride Injection （BHI） on vertebra basilar artery ischemic vertigo （VBIV）. Methods： Ninety patients with VBIV were randomly divided into two groups; 45 patients （the treated group） were treated with YXDM and BHI intravenous dripping, once a day for 14 days. Another 45 patients （control group） were treated with Xueshuantong （血栓通） and BHI intravenous dripping, once daily for 14 days. The clinical syndromes and the index of the transcranial Doppler （TCD） and hemorheology were observed. Results： The total effective rate was 100% in the treated group, which was better than that in the control group 90.5%, （P〈0. 05）. The indexes of TCD and hemorheology in the treated group were obviously improved after treatment, （P〈0.01）. Conclusion： YXDM combined with BHT injection had better effect in treating patients with VBIV is an ideal drug for VBIV.

BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO

One of the most common causes of vertigo is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo(BPPV),a sensation of spinning that is caused by a sudden change in head position.This type of vertigo was first described by Robert Barany in the early 1920s[1].He suggested that BPPV was caused by abnormal otoliths,also called statoconium or otoconius,a structure in the saccule or utricle in

Causes and treatment of idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo based on endocrinological and other metabolic factors

The genesis of the Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo(BPPV)seems to be related to some metabolic factors.These factors,such as vitamin D,glucocorticoids,and even thyroid and growth hormones,can affect bone metabolism and the mineralization of otoconia.It also seems to link to factors related to aging or nutritional habits.Besides,since the incidence of BPPV is quantitatively higher in women than in men,female sex steroids could be associated with this process.It could be useful to understand how these factors act in otoconial mineralization if we want to develop treatments aimed at preventing or delaying BPPV recurrences.In this review,we will analyze the role of these metabolic and hormonal factors in otoconial mineralization and in the treatment of BPPV.

Vertigo as the sole complaint of tympanomastoid paraganglioma

Background: Tympanomastoid paragangliomas are usually benign, slowly growing, painless tumors. The common presenting symptoms of this tumor are pulsatile tinnitus and conductive hearing loss. Vertigo as the cardinal or initial symptom is extremely rare, especially in the early stages of the disease.Case presentation: A 53-year-old female patient presented only with intermittent recurrent vertigo and was later found to have a tympanomastoid paraganglioma. Her symptoms disappeared completely after resection of the tumor. This is the first report in literature of a case of tympanomastoid paraganglioma with vertigo as the single symptom.Conclusion: The tympanomastoid paraganglioma is rare and its clinical symptoms are nonspecific, so it is easy to be misdiagnosed or missed. It is worth noting that although clinically uncommon, vertigo can also be the first or sole symptom of tympanomastoid paraganglioma. Detailed physical examination and imaging examination of the ear are necessary and should be carried out meticulously.

Relationship among plasma endothelin, calcitonin gene-related peptide and blood flow rate of bilateral vertebral arteries in patients with cervical vertigo

Objective： To investigate the relationship among plasma endothelin（ET）, calcitonin gene-related peptide（CGRP） and blood flow rate of bilateral vertebral arteries in patients with cervical vertigo（CV） and to assess the effect of ET and CGRP on the onset of CV. Methods：The concentration of ET and CGRP in 64 patients with CV and 30 controls was determined by radioimmunity method. The average blood flow velocity （Vm） of bilateral vertebral arteries was detected by Transcranial Doppler（TCD）. Results：Plasma concen- tration ofET（91.48 ± 9.08 pg/ml） and ET/CGRP ratio value（2.88 ± 0.52） in vertebrobasilar arteriospasm group were both higher than those in vertebrobasilar non-arteriospasm group and in controls, while CGRP concentration（30.66 ± 6.05 pg/ml） in vertebrobasilar arteriospasm group was lower than that in vertebrobasilar non-arteriospasm group and controls respectively. The Vm of bilateral verte- bral arteries in vertebrobasilar arteriospasm group（67.97 ± 11.64 cm/s ） was higher than that in vertebrobasilar non-arteriospasm group and controls respectively, having a positive correlation with ET concentration and ET/CGRP ratio value（r1=0.52, P 〈 0.05; r2=0.59, P 〈 0.05）, but a negative correlation with CGRP concentration（r3=-0.54, P 〈 0.05）. There was no significant difference in ET and CGRP concentration, ET/CGRP ratio value and the Vm of bilateral vertebral arteries between vertebrobasilar non-arteriospasm group and the control group. Conclusion： All the results indicate that ET and CGRP are possibly the most important substance factors at the onset of CV with vertebrobasilar arteriospasm, and their imbalance of regulating vertebrobasilar arterial contraction and relaxation may play an important role in the onset of CV with vertebrobasilar arteriospasm.

A comparative study of two methods for treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in the emergency department

Introduction: Posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (PC-BPPV) is considered the mostcommon cause of peripheral vertigo in the emergency department (ED). Although the canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM) is the standard of care, the most effective method to deliver it in the ED hasbeen poorly studied.Objective: To compare two protocols of the Epley maneuver for the treatment of PC-BPPV.Patients and methods: We prospectively recruited 101 patients with unilateral PC-BPPV on physical examination, randomizing them to either a single Epley maneuver (EM) (n ¼ 46) or multiple maneuvers(n ¼ 55) on the same visit. Measured outcomes included presence/absence of positional nystagmus,resolution of vertigo, and score on the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) at follow-up evaluations. TheDHI was stratified into mild ( 30) and moderate-severe (>30).Results: Normalization of the Dix-Hallpike maneuver at day 5 was observed in 38% of the single EMgroup and 44.4% in the multiple EM group (p ¼ 0.62). The DHI showed reduction from 42.2 (SD 18.4) to31.9 (SD 23.7) in the single EM group and from 43.7 (SD 22.9) to 33.5 (SD 21.5) in the multiple EM group(p ¼ 0.06). A higher number of patients improved from moderate-severe to mild DHI (p ¼ 0.03) in thesingle EM group compared to the multi-EM group (p ¼ 0.23).Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between performing a single EM versusmultiple EMs for treatment of PC-BPPV in the emergency department. The single EM approach isassociated with shorter physical contact between patients and examiner, which is logically safer in apandemic context.

A possible objective test to detect benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The role of the caloric and video-head impulse tests in the diagnosis

Background:Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV)is characterized by vertigo lasting from seconds to minutes,induced by head movements.Objectives:Our study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the caloric vestibular and video head-impulse tests(vHIT)diagnosing the disorder.Methods:68 patients suffering from posterior canal BPPV(25 male,43 females,mean age±SD,54.5±13.2 years)and 56 patients with a normal functioning vestibular system as control were investigated.Bithermal caloric test and vHIT was performed during the same medical check-up.Canal paresis(CP%),gain(GA)and asymmetry(GA%)parameters were calculated.Results:The Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre was only positive in 4%of this population.The CP%parameter was only pathologic in two patients,and there was no significant difference between control and BPPV patients(p=0.76).The GA value was never under 0.8 in this population,but GA%was abnormal in 63.2%.A significant difference comparing the GA%values to the control group was seen(p=0.034).There was no correlation detected between the CP%and GA%values in BPPV.Regarding the GA%value,61%sensitivity and 76%specificity was seen.Conclusion:The Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre was not often positive in the non-acute phase of BPPV;therefore,objective testing is essential.The caloric test does not have clinical significance in BPPV,but vHIT can be helpful based on the GA%parameter。

Role of subjective visual vertical in patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo as a prognostic marker after canalith repositioning maneuver

Objective:To study the potential role of subjective visual vertical(SVV)as a prognostic marker for canalith repositioning maneuver(CRM)in patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(PC-BPPV)for the Indian population.Methods:SVV was examined in 30 patients with PC-BPPV before and after canalith repositioning maneuver and after complete resolution of PC-BPPV.Study parameters included the mean of 10 angular tilt readings and direction of deviation,which were compared before and after CRM and following complete resolution of PC-BPPV.Results:The angle of SVV tilt was greater and deviated towards the affected ear before CRM in all patients,which decreased significantly shortly after CRM and continued to decrease after complete resolution of PC-BPPV(p<0.0001).Conclusions:SVV can be used to test utricular dysfunction in PC-BPPV.The angle of tilt improves in response to CRM,which may be used as a prognostic marker in patients with PC-BPPV receiving CRM.

Standardized Ginkgo Biloba Extract in the Treatment of Vertigo and/or Tinnitus: A Review of the Literature

Standardized Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is an established herbal treatment used for a variety of indications, including vertigo and/or tinnitus. The evidence base in human clinical studies for a clear benefit of GBE in vertigo and/or tinnitus is limited and contradictory due to poor reporting as well as variations in study quality and outcome measures used. The aim of this review is to identify and discuss the rationale for using GBE in the treatment of vertigo and/or tinnitus based on the known pleiotropic actions of GBE and the pathophysiology of vertigo and/or tinnitus. The rationale will be substantiated by a review of the literature in order to identify and evaluate clinical trials investigating the efficacy of GBE in individuals with vertigo and/or tinnitus. The review identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effectiveness of GBE in vertigo and/or tinnitus published in PubMed up to 1st January 2020. In total, 17 RCTs were included 8 of the 9 studies investigating tinnitus and/or vertigo/dizziness found improvements, and 6 of 8 included studies investigating solely tinnitus showed positive effects. Based on the known mechanisms of action of GBE as well as evidence from animal models and human clinical trials identified in this review, GBE is a rational alternative treatment that might provide benefits to individuals with vertigo and/or tinnitus. However, further well-defined RCTs in patients with defined pathological entities are necessary to further substantiate the beneficial effects of GBE for vertigo and/or tinnitus.

Advantages of Short-term Personalized Vestibular Rehabilitation at Home Guided by Professional Therapist for Treatment of Decompensated Vestibular Vertigo

Objective Patients suffered a lot from decompensated vestibular vertigo.Pharmacotherapy and vestibular rehabilitation training have been proven to be effective in prompting vestibular compensation.Routine rehabilitation training is faced with the challenges of patients’compliance,completion,the average recuperation time and so on.This study is aimed to investigate advantages of short-term personalized vestibular rehabihitation at home guided by professional therapist.Methods A short-term personalized vestibular rehabilitation program(ST-PVR)was designed for patients with decompensated vestibular vertigo in this study.Results Patients experiencing the ST-PVR program showed significant improvement of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Dizziness Handicap Inventory(DHI),Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale(ABC)scores by the second follow-up(at 2nd week after treatment,P<0.05).However-improvement in the medication group occurred slightly later,DHI for 1 month and SAS for 2 months after treatment(P<0.05).Also,the improvement in the onset time of unilateral weakness(UW)at 2nd week after treatment in the personalized vestibular rehabilitation(PVR)group was faster than that in the medication group.Conclusion In general,the short-term PVR program showed great advantages by prompting vestibular compensation quickly and putting forward future direction for clinical treatment on decompensated vestibular vertigo.

Age predicts the absence of caloric-induced vertigo

Introduction: The absence of vertigo during the caloric test, despite a robust response, has been suggested to represent a central vestibular system phenomenon. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of absent caloric-induced vertigo perception in an unselected group of patients and to assess possible predicting variables.Methods: Prospective investigation of 92 unselected patients who underwent caloric testing. Inclusion criteria were that each patient generate a maximum slow phase velocity(maxSPV) > 15 deg/sec and a caloric asymmetry of≤10%. Following the caloric, patients were asked, "Did you have any sensation of motion?"Results: Results showed 75% of patients reported motion with a mean age of 56.51 years compared to a mean age of 66.55 in the 25% of patients reporting an absence of motion. A logistic regression was performed and the overall model was statistically significant accounting for 29% of the variance in caloric perception. The significant predictor variables were patient age and maxSPV of the caloric response. The effect size for both variables was small with an odds ratio of.9 for maxSPV and 1.06 for age.Conclusions: The current investigation showed that both age and maxSPV of the caloric response were significant predictors of vertigo perception during the caloric exam. However, the association between age and caloric perception is not conclusive. Although there is evidence to suggest that these findings represent age-related changes in the central processing of vestibular system stimulation, there are additional unmeasured factors that influence the perception of caloric-induced vertigo.