BPPV After a Concussion: Why Car Accidents Can Trigger Spinning Sensations

BPPV After a Concussion: Why Car Accidents Can Trigger Spinning Sensations

If you've been in a car accident and are now dealing with sudden dizzy spells or a spinning sensation when you move your head, you might be experiencing BPPV — Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. While the name sounds complicated, this condition is common after head trauma, including whiplash or concussion from an auto accident.

At our Kansas City concussion clinic, Dr. Lance Stevenson, DC frequently evaluates patients suffering from BPPV symptoms after car crashes, helping them find relief quickly and safely through targeted vestibular care.

What Is BPPV?

BPPV stands for:

• Benign – not life-threatening

• Paroxysmal – comes in sudden, brief episodes

• Positional – triggered by certain head or body movements

• Vertigo – a sensation that you or the room is spinning

In BPPV, tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear (called otoconia) become dislodged and float into one of the semicircular canals, where they disrupt your body’s sense of motion. Even small head movements — rolling over in bed, looking up, or turning quickly — can trigger a sudden wave of vertigo that lasts seconds to a minute.

Why Car Accidents Can Cause BPPV

Car accidents often cause whiplash, rapid deceleration, or impact trauma, all of which can jolt the inner ear structures and dislodge the crystals. Concussions themselves may not always cause BPPV, but the forces involved in the crash — even in low-speed collisions — often do.

Patients from Lee’s Summit, Liberty, North Kansas City, and Overland Park often come in with lingering dizziness or vertigo days or weeks after the crash. Many are surprised to learn that the issue isn’t “in their head” — it’s in their inner ear balance system.

Symptoms of BPPV After Concussion or Whiplash

• Sudden spinning sensation when turning your head

• Vertigo triggered by rolling over, getting out of bed, or looking up

• Nausea or queasiness after motion

• Feeling like the world is tilting

• Brief dizzy episodes lasting less than a minute

• Anxiety or fear of movement

• Loss of balance or unsteadiness

BPPV may be missed if you're only screened for a brain injury or if your providers don’t do positional vertigo testing as part of the exam.

How We Diagnose BPPV in Our Kansas City Clinic

At our office, Dr. Lance Stevenson uses specific vestibular tests to diagnose BPPV, including:

If BPPV is diagnosed, the good news is that it’s very treatable — usually without medication or imaging.

BPPV Treatment: Repositioning Maneuvers That Work

The most effective way to treat BPPV is through canalith repositioning maneuvers, which use gentle head movements to guide the displaced crystals back where they belong.

These may include:

• Epley maneuver

• Barbecue roll (Lempert maneuver)

• Gufoni or Semont maneuvers

• Brandt-Daroff exercises (for home care or residual dizziness)

In many cases, patients feel immediate relief after one or two visits — especially when the BPPV is diagnosed early.

What If It’s Not Just BPPV?

Concussions from car accidents can also cause:

• Vestibular migraines

• Cervicogenic dizziness (from the neck)

• Visual-vestibular mismatch

• VOR dysfunction (vestibulo-ocular reflex problems)

That’s why we perform a full cervical, vestibular, and oculomotor exam for every post-concussion patient — to make sure all contributing factors are addressed.

Get Expert Concussion and BPPV Care in Kansas City

If you're experiencing vertigo after a car accident or concussion, you don’t have to live with it. BPPV is one of the most common — and treatable — causes of post-traumatic dizziness.

At our Kansas City clinic, Dr. Lance Stevenson, DC offers comprehensive evaluations and gentle, effective treatment to get you feeling balanced and stable again.

Call 816-226-7476 today to schedule your post-concussion or dizziness consultation with Kansas City's trusted personal injury chiropractor.

Special thanks to Complete Concussions for their training and educational resources. To learn more about comprehensive concussion treatment options, visit completeconcussions.com.

Disclaimer:

This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have experienced a concussion or other injury, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Always follow the advice and treatment plan given by your medical professional.

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