A device that helps to alleviate dizziness caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has been developed by Canadian researchers.
The device, which attaches to the brim of any common baseball cap, is called the DizzyFIX.
BPPV results from a build-up of crystals in the inner ear. It can be treated using a physical technique known as the Epley manoeuvre, which can shift the crystals from this location.
DizzyFIX comprises of a plastic tube containing a thick fluid and a particle that moves as the patient moves, giving visual feedback in the same way as the Epley manoeuvre.
According to the study published in the Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, the researchers gave 40 patients DizzyFIX and found out that after one week of home treatment, 35 of them had no evidence of BPPV.
DizzyFix, is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is also approved in Europe and Canada.
BPPV is caused due to the crystal formation in the inner ear and is characterised by an intense spinning sensation when an individual looks up, rolls over in bed or bends.
