A study on Vertigo – Evaluation of Bedside Tests and Aetiopathology.

Vertigo is defined as the ‘hallucination’ of movement, either of self (subjective) or the environment (objective). Usually the patient uses various terms (eg.) Bouncing, Oscillating, Staggering, Swimming, Twisting Rolling, Spinning, Rocking, Lightheadness, Imbalance, Floating, Fainting, Falling. For the most part they are benign but always there is the possibility that they signal the presence of an important neurological disorder. Diagnosis of the underlying disease demands that the complaint of vertigo be analyzed correctly, the nature of the disturbance of function being determined first and then its anatomic localization. A careful history and physical examination usually affords the basis for separating true vertigo from the dizziness of the anxious patient and from the other types of pseudo vertigo This study evaluates the vertigo patients based on history, examination and relevant investigations to establish the etiology for the vertigo. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the commonest cause of vertigo in this study. 31 to 40 years had the highest incidence of vertigo in this study. Migranous vertigo was the common central cause of vertigo. Head thrust test was the most reliable bedside test. Dick Halpick’s and calorie test positive only in peripheral vertigo. All the bedside tests used in this study were very much significant for vertigo with the ‘P’ value of