Neurotology

Abstract

As in most areas of clinical medicine, the history often is the key to determining the diagnosis in patients presenting with neurotologic symptoms. The most common cause of vertigo--benign positional vertigo--can be diagnosed at the bedside based on the characteristic history and the finding of fatigable positional nystagmus on the Dix-Hallpike positional test. Furthermore, it can be cured with a simple positioning maneuver. Quantitative auditory and vestibular function tests are important for documenting the site and severity of deficit in patients with chronic neurotologic symptoms. Only a few presentations (listed in section on acute vertigo) require immediate neuroimaging.