The relationship between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and anxiety

Abstract

Objective: Since Plato’s ancient works, the association between vertigo and anxiety is a common issue found in the medical literature. Vertigo has an uncertain position in the classical medicine; being a unique illness or a symptom of an another illness such as hypocondriacal melancholy. Our study aimed to examine the relationship between vertigo and anxiety. Material and Methods: Fifty patients who admitted to Otolaryngology Department, Bozok University School of Medicine with vertigo complaint, and diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) were included in the study. The patients were instructed to fill out the standard forms of anxiety sensitivity index-3 (ASI-3), Stait-trait anxiety inventory I and II (STAI-I, STAI-II) before and 4 weeks after the canalith repositioning treatment (Epley maneuver). The results were compared statistically. Results: The pre-treatment results showed moderate level anxiety severity in ASI-3, STAII and STAI-II. Four weeks after Epley maneuver, we noted a statistically significant decrease in ADI-3 and STAI-II scores while STAI-I scores did not significantly change, indicating anxiety remained unchanged. Conclusion: We concluded that, despite statistically significant improvements observed in ADI-3 and STAI-II scores after canalith reposition maneuver, unchanged STAI-1 scores at high levels demonstrated the need for cooperation of psychiatrists and otorhinolarngologists for the evaluation and treatment planning in patients with vertigo.