Posterior Semont Maneuver
Treatment of the posterior canal
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| Turn the head 45 degrees away from the affected side | Rapidly move into side-lying position on the affected side | Rapidly move to patients the other side with the nose 45 degrees down |
Helpful hints
- Before performing any form of positioning maneuver, it is important to ascertain whether the patient has current or past injuries of the neck or spine
- If any possible neurological symptoms occur during the execution of positioning maneuvers, discontinue the procedure IMMEDIATELY and refer for a neurological These symptoms might include, blurred vision, numbness, weakness of the arms or legs or confusion
- The patient should experience vertigo when moved to each position. If not, it is often useful to perform a slight headshake to loosen otolithic debris
Procedure
- Begin with the patient sitting on the examination table, facing the examiner, with the patient’s head turned away from the affected side at a 45º angle
- Guide the patient into a side-lying position toward the affected (This should be a rapid movement and the patient’s nose should be pointing upward)
- Hold this position for 2-3 minutes
- While maintaining the 45º head position, guide the patient in a continuous motion from side-lying on the affected side to side-lying on the unaffected side (The patient’s nose should be pointing downward toward the floor)
- Hold this position for 3-5 minutes
- Guide the patient back into a sitting position
References
- Semont, Freyss G, Vitte E. Curing the BPPV with a liberative maneuver. Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 1998;42:290-3
- Hughes CA, Proctor Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Laryngoscope. 1997;107:607-613
Presenter
Interacoustics
