Can yoga cause benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate any correlation between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and yoga. Patients and Methods:Two groups were compared in the study: group 1 consisting of volunteers who performed yoga at regular intervals (38 females, 16 males; mean age 32.3 years; range 23 to 50 years) and group 2 as the control group (29 females, 25 males; mean age 34.6 years; range 21 to 46 years). All participants have undergone complete audio-vestibular tests and received Dix-Hallpike maneuver for the diagnosis of posterior semicircular canal BPPV and Roll maneuver for the diagnosis of lateral semicircular canal BPPV. The participants with the definitive diagnosis of BPPV were treated with Epley or Lempert maneuver, according to the affected semicircular canal.Results: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was diagnosed in one participant in the control group (1.9%) while it was seen in eight participants in the yoga group (14.8%). We observed the posterior canal to be affected in seven out of eight BPPV patients and lateral semicircular canal was affected in the remaining one patient. We found the prevalence of BPPV to be significantly higher in the yoga group compared to the control group (p=0.031). Although there is no correlation observed between the years of yoga performance and development of BPPV (p>0.05), a positive correlation is found between weekly practice hours of yoga and development of BPPV (p=0.009). Conclusion:There is a statistically significant correlation between BPPV and yoga. Therefore, performing yoga might be a risk factor for BPPV. Bulgular: Benign paroksismal pozisyonel vertigo kontrol grubunda bir katılımcıda (%1.9) saptanırken, yoga grubunda sekiz katılımcıda (%14.8) saptandı. Bu sekiz BPPV hastasının yedisinde posterior kanal tutulumu, birinde ise lateral semisirküler kanal tutulumu izlendi. Yoga yapan grupta BPPV görülme olasılığı kontrol grubuna kıyasla anlamlı olarak yüksek bulundu (p=0.031). Yoga yapma yılı ile BPPV gelişme riski arasında ilişki yokken (p>0.05), haftalık yoga yapma süresi ile BPPV gelişme riski arasında doğru orantılı ilişki saptandı (p=0.009).Sonuç: Yoga ile BPPV arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki saptandı. Dolayısıyla yoga yapmak BPPV için bir risk faktörü olabilir.