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Vértigo postural benigno - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Vértigo postural

Definición:

Es una afección en la cual una persona desarrolla una sensación repentina de rotación, generalmente al mover la cabeza, y es la causa más común de vértigo.

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

El vértigo postural benigno se debe a una alteración en el oído interno. El oído interno tiene tubos llenos de líquido llamados canales semicirculares, los cuales son muy sensibles al movimiento del líquido, que ocurre a medida que se cambia de posición. El movimiento del líquido le permite al cerebro interpretar la posición del cuerpo y mantener el equilibrio.

El vértigo postural benigno se desarrolla cuando se desprende un pequeño pedazo de calcio similar a hueso y flota dentro del tubo del oído interno. Esto envía al cerebro mensajes confusos acerca de la posición del cuerpo.

No existen factores de riesgo importantes. Sin embargo, la afección puede en parte transmitirse de padres a hijos. Un traumatismo craneal previo (incluso un golpe ligero en la cabeza) o una infección en el oído interno, llamada laberintitis, puede hacer que algunas personas tengan mayor probabilidad de desarrollar la afección.

  • Reviewed last on: 8/3/2010
  • David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.

Referencias

Crane BT, Schessel DA, Nedzelski J, Minor LB. Peripheral vestibular disorders. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:chap 165.

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