title: Neurotology.
abstract: As in most areas of clinical medicine, the history often is the key to determining the diagnosis in patients presenting with neurotologic symptoms. The most common cause of vertigo--benign positional vertigo--can be diagnosed at the bedside based on the characteristic history and the finding of fatigable positional nystagmus on the Dix-Hallpike positional test. Furthermore, it can be cured with a simple positioning maneuver. Quantitative auditory and vestibular function tests are important for documenting the site and severity of deficit in patients with chronic neurotologic symptoms. Only a few presentations (listed in section on acute vertigo) require immediate neuroimaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Baloh
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D001299:Audiometry; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004584:Electronystagmography; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests