Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is characterized by a sudden sense of being unbalanced or dizzy. The Mayo Clinic states that, while probably annoying, this condition is not usually serious though there is a risk of serious injury from falling. The sensation of BPPV does not typically persist, and it may range from mild to quite intense sensations of dizziness. It can be triggered by changing body position rapidly or by moving the head.
Dizziness and Blurry Vision
The most common symptom of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is dizziness. This can be a brief disorientation in which the sufferer's surroundings do not appear to keep up with his movements. It also can be more pronounced, producing feelings of whirling, spinning or moving though the sufferer is still. Likewise, it may give a sensation of stillness when the environment is in motion. Because of this disorientation, vision may become blurry as the sufferer tries to focus on objects that appear to be moving.
Lightheadedness
The person who suffers from BPPV also may feel light-headed. This feeling is similar to the sensation that occurs just before a person passes out or faints.
Unsteadiness
Because BPPV throws off a person’s normal sense of position and place, she may not have his regular sense of balance during an episode. This can result in unsteady walking or movement. There might be loss of balance with this condition, which can cause the sufferer to bump into objects such as furniture. It also may be more severe in that it causes a person to lose her balance completely for a few moments which can result in falling down.
Nausea
BPPV can also cause upset stomach. The spinning sensation or the feeling of constant motion can produce feelings of nausea. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, BPPV occurs as a result of mixed signals from the auditory system to the brain, which can cause stomach queasiness and vomiting.
