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Head Impulse Test Uses: 5 Key Applications

2025-09-04 09:46:48 hj2008mt

Vestibular tests are super handy in balance rehabilitation. They've really caught on because they're great at diagnosing various vestibular issues. We're gonna dive into five top topics about Vestibular tests. We'll share some real-life stuff and what the experts have to say.

Number one on our list: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.

Next up: Vestibular Schwannoma.

And then there's vertigo caused by central stuff, like strokes or MS.

Next, we've got vestibular migraine.

And last but not least, we have vestibular neuritis.

head impulse test uses

Number one on our list: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.

So, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is when you get these brief episodes of dizziness when you change the position of your head in a specific manner. Tests like these are really good at spotting Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo because they show these abnormal eye movements when your specific positions of the head. I had a patient who underwent one of these examinations and turned out to have Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. We fixed it up with the Epley maneuver.

head impulse test uses

Next up: Vestibular Schwannoma.

Vestibular Schwannomas are non-cancerous growths that arise from the vestibular nerve. These tumors can cause significant balance issues and deafness.

Head impulse tests are crucial in identifying subtle vestibular dysfunction in patients with vestibular schwannomas, which is essential for early intervention and treatment. A study said that these head impulse tests are looking pretty good at finding vestibular Schwannomas, according to something in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry.

head impulse test uses

And then there's vertigo caused by central stuff, like strokes or MS.

Vertigo from stuff such as strokes or MS can be challenging to understand. These examinations can tell the difference between central and peripheral vestibular problems, mostly because they observe how your outer ear functions. There was a study in the Journal of Neuro-otology about a person with MS vertigo who received their diagnosis using head impulse tests.

head impulse test uses

Next, we've got vestibular migraine.

Vestibular migraine condition is the deal where you experience dizziness episodes, spinning sensation, and stuff. Such tests can evaluate your vestibular system in case you suffer from vestibular migraine condition. They aid in confirming the diagnosis and can assist in treatment planning. This one patient shared with us about her story from head impulse tests for her vestibular migraine condition. It proved very helpful to her.

head impulse test uses

And last but not least, we have vestibular neuritis.

This condition condition is a swelling of the inner ear nerve, leading to unexpected occurrence of dizziness. These examinations are almost essential for identifying this condition condition. These tests will inform you if you've lost some balance perception in your left or right ear. A study has been in the neurological journal which demonstrates how important These examinations are for identifying this condition condition.

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