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Treat BPPV of the posterior canal with the Epley maneuver 

Already know you have posterior canal BPPV? Then you don't need to start from scratch. This course focuses exclusively on treatment — teaching you the Epley maneuver for both right- and left-sided posterior canal BPPV at a lower cost than our bundled diagnosis-and-treatment course. What sets this course apart from the countless Epley demonstrations available online is what you see while the maneuver is being performed: we show you exactly what is happening inside the inner ear at each step, so you understand not just what to do but why it works — and how to recognize when it's working. If your diagnosis is confirmed and you're ready to treat, this is where to start.

This material is intended for educational purposes only, and does not substitute evaluation by a qualified medical professional.

In developing this course we reviewed literature (so that you don't have to)!

  

This maneuver was originally described in this article:

  • Epley JM (1992) The canalith repositioning procedure: for treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 107: 399-404. doi: 10.1177/019459989210700310

 

Literature that may be useful to patients:

  • Bastani P, Phillips V, Rieiro H, Otero-Millan J, Zee D, Newman-Toker D, Tehrani A (2025) Feasibility of Using Smartphone Eye-Tracking for Self-recording Positional Tests. Digital Biomarkers: 1-11. doi: 10.1159/000545720
  • Celis-Aguilar E, Mayoral-Flores HO, Torrontegui-Zazueta LA, Medina-Cabrera CA, Leon-Leyva IC, Dehesa-Lopez E (2022) Effectiveness of Brandt Daroff, Semont and Epley maneuvers in the treatment of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 74: 314-321. doi: 10.1007/s12070-021-02516-w
  • Cetin YS, Ozmen OA, Demir UL, Kasapoglu F, Basut O, Coskun H (2018) Comparison of the effectiveness of Brandt-Daroff Vestibular training and Epley Canalith repositioning maneuver in benign Paroxysmal positional vertigo long term result: A randomized prospective clinical trial. Pak J Med Sci 34: 558-563. doi: 10.12669/pjms.343.14786
  • Chang AK, Schoeman G, Hill M (2004) A randomized clinical trial to assess the efficacy of the Epley maneuver in the treatment of acute benign positional vertigo. Acad Emerg Med 11: 918-24. doi: 10.1197/j.aem.2004.06.001
  • Choi SY, Cho JW, Choi JH, Oh EH, Choi KD (2020) Effect of the Epley Maneuver and Brandt-Daroff Exercise on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Involving the Posterior Semicircular Canal Cupulolithiasis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Neurol 11: 603541. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.603541
  • Cohen HS, Jerabek J (1999) Efficacy of treatments for posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Laryngoscope 109: 584-90. doi: 10.1097/00005537-199904000-00012
  • Cohen HS, Kimball KT (2004) Treatment variations on the Epley maneuver for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Am J Otolaryngol 25: 33-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2003.09.010
  • Dhiman NR, Joshi D, Gyanpuri V, Pathak A, Kumar A (2023) Comparison between Epley and Gans Repositioning Maneuvers for Posterior Canal BPPV: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Indian Acad Neurol 26: 537-542. doi: 10.4103/aian.aian_12_23
  • Foster CA, Ponnapan A, Zaccaro K, Strong D (2012) A Comparison of Two Home Exercises for Benign Positional Vertigo: Half Somersault versus Epley Maneuver. Audiology and Neurotology Extra 2: 16-23. doi: 10.1159/000337947
  • Gan Z, Zhou S, Yang H, He F, Wei D, Bai Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Fu W, Han J (2021) Self-Treatment of Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Preliminary Study. Front Med (Lausanne) 8: 654637. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.654637
  • Hilton M, Pinder D (2002) The Epley (canalith repositioning) manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev: CD003162. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003162
  • Hilton M, Pinder D (2002) The Epley manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo--a systematic review. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 27: 440-5. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2273.2002.00613.x
  • Hilton M, Pinder D (2004) The Epley (canalith repositioning) manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev: CD003162. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003162.pub2
  • Hilton MP, Pinder DK (2014) The Epley (canalith repositioning) manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev: CD003162. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003162.pub3
  • Khaftari MD, Ahadi M, Maarefvand M, Jalaei B (2021) The Efficacy of the Half Somersault Maneuver in Comparison to the Epley Maneuver in Patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. J Int Adv Otol 17: 417-421. doi: 10.5152/iao.2021.9072
  • Lee JD, Shim DB, Park HJ, Song CI, Kim MB, Kim CH, Byun JY, Hong SK, Kim TS, Park KH, Seo JH, Shim BS, Lee JH, Lim HW, Jeon EJ (2014) A multicenter randomized double-blind study: comparison of the Epley, Semont, and sham maneuvers for the treatment of posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Audiol Neurootol 19: 336-41. doi: 10.1159/000365438
  • Mujeeb M, Khan N (2000) Epley's manoeuvre: treatment of choice for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. J Laryngol Otol 114: 844-7. doi: 10.1258/0022215001904400
  • Radtke A, von Brevern M, Tiel-Wilck K, Mainz-Perchalla A, Neuhauser H, Lempert T (2004) Self-treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Semont maneuver vs Epley procedure. Neurology 63: 150-2. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000130250.62842.c9
  • Richard W, Bruintjes TD, Oostenbrink P, van Leeuwen RB (2005) Efficacy of the Epley maneuver for posterior canal BPPV: a long-term, controlled study of 81 patients. Ear Nose Throat J 84: 22-5.
  • Saberi A, Nemati S, Sabnan S, Mollahoseini F, Kazemnejad E (2017) A safe-repositioning maneuver for the management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Gans vs. Epley maneuver; a randomized comparative clinical trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274: 2973-2979. doi: 10.1007/s00405-016-4235-7
  • Sherman D, Massoud EA (2001) Treatment outcomes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. J Otolaryngol 30: 295-9. doi: 10.2310/7070.2001.20100
  • Sinsamutpadung C, Kulthaveesup A (2021) Comparison of outcomes of the Epley and Semont maneuvers in posterior canal BPPV: A randomized controlled trial. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 6: 866-871. doi: 10.1002/lio2.619
  • Soto Varela A, Bartual Magro J, Santos Perez S, Velez Regueiro M, Lechuga Garcia R, Perez-Carro Rios A, Caballero L (2001) Benign paroxysmal vertigo: a comparative prospective study of the efficacy of Brandt and Daroff exercises, Semont and Epley maneuver. Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol (Bord) 122: 179-83
  • Tanimoto H, Doi K, Katata K, Nibu KI (2005) Self-treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the posterior semicircular canal. Neurology 65: 1299-300. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000180518.34672.3d
  • Teixido M, Woods O, Kung B, Seyyedi M (2016) A 3D benign paroxysmal positional vertigo model for study of otolith disease. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2: 1-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wjorl.2016.02.002
  • Thakur B, Raj P, Singh K, Anand V (2024) To compare the recovery rates of modified Epley's against Semont's manoeuvres in patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a randomized clinical trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 281: 4641-4648. doi: 10.1007/s00405-024-08657-2
  • von Brevern M, Radtke A, Lezius F, Feldmann M, Ziese T, Lempert T, Neuhauser H (2007) Epidemiology of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a population based study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 78: 710-5. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2006.100420
  • von Brevern M, Seelig T, Radtke A, Tiel-Wilck K, Neuhauser H, Lempert T (2006) Short-term efficacy of Epley's manoeuvre: a double-blind randomised trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 77: 980-2. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2005.085894
  • Wolf M, Hertanu T, Novikov I, Kronenberg J (1999) Epley's manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a prospective study. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 24: 43-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2273.1999.00202.x

  

Literature for specialists who want to dig deeper:

  • Brandt T, Daroff RB (1980) Physical therapy for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Arch Otolaryngol 106: 484-5. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1980.00790320036009
  • Fife TD (2012) Positional dizziness. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 18: 1060-85. doi: 10.1212/01.CON.0000418376.80099.24
  • Froehling DA, Bowen JM, Mohr DN, Brey RH, Beatty CW, Wollan PC, Silverstein MD (2000) The canalith repositioning procedure for the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a randomized controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc 75: 695-700. doi: 10.4065/75.7.695
  • Melliti A, van de Berg M, van de Berg R (2023) Capturing nystagmus during vertigo attacks using a smartphone: adherence, characteristics, pearls and pitfalls. J Neurol. doi: 10.1007/s00415-023-11965-y
  • Munoz JE, Miklea JT, Howard M, Springate R, Kaczorowski J (2007) Canalith repositioning maneuver for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: randomized controlled trial in family practice. Can Fam Physician 53: 1049-53, 1048.
  • Phillips V, Bastani PB, Rieiro H, Hale DE, Otero-Millan J, Zee DS, Newman-Toker DE, Tehrani AS (2025) A Pilot Study of Smartphone Eye Tracking for Detection of Positional Nystagmus. Digit Biomark 9: 124-129. doi: 10.1159/000547008
  • Shah MU, Lotterman S, Roberts D, Eisen M (2019) Smartphone telemedical emergency department consults for screening of nonacute dizziness. Laryngoscope 129: 466-469. doi: 10.1002/lary.27424
  • Simhadri S, Panda N, Raghunathan M (2003) Efficacy of particle repositioning maneuver in BPPV: a prospective study. Am J Otolaryngol 24: 355-60. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0709(03)00069-3
  • Traboulsi H, Teixido M (2021) BPPV Viewer: A downloadable 3D BPPV model for study of otolith disease. World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 7: 34-39. doi: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2018.10.001
  • Yimtae K, Srirompotong S, Srirompotong S, Sae-Seaw P (2003) A randomized trial of the canalith repositioning procedure. Laryngoscope 113: 828-32. doi: 10.1097/00005537-200305000-00011