Psychological findings in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and psychogenic vertigo

Objective: A prospective study conducted at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, to study the psychologic al factors in cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and to c ompare them with patients with psychogenic vertigo. Methods: In the present study, 75 subjects each (25-45 years) with BPPV and psychogenic vertigo were compared with an equal number of age- and sex-mat ched normal controls using the psychological and audiovestibular test batte ries. Results: The psychological variables tested, namely, loneliness, depression , anxiety components, introversion, and social desirability, were found to be statistically significant (p < .01) for the three groups (i.e., BPPV, ps ychogenic, and control). There was no significant difference among the thre e groups on the audiovestibular measures. Conclusion: Psychological factors play an important role in patients with B PPV. The provoking activities result in precipitation of an acute attack an d the patients experience heightened emotionality because of the incapacita ting feeling of severe vertigo.