@pdworkin: Thanks for the reference (it’s spelled with a “k”). Yes, I am an Audiologist, and I have had BPPV twice.
@BraveWarrior: As you have already surmised, Meniere’s Disease seems unlikely as you describe your symptoms. @Darwin: I have not heard others theorize that Meniere’s and BPPV are related, and I personally don’t suspect that they are.
BPPV is a spinning sensation that occurs only when you move your head a specific way, and resolves within seconds once you are still. If your symptoms differ from this very specific description, it is probably not BPPV.
The Epley Maneuver, as mentioned by @gailcalled, aims to reposition debris in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, so they will no longer cause an over-reaction to movement by shifting the fluids too rapidly. The ‘eye’ exercises, as described by @Darwin, may be a variation on that process, since it involves repetetive head movements. The first time I had BPPV, I actually was doing oblique twists which accidentally served the same purpose for me.
Generally, if eye exercises or physical therapy are involved, the source of the dizziness or imbalance is more likely to be in the central nervous system and/or sensory-motor system.
The ENG/VNG is the test performed to evaluate the vestibular system. The patient wears goggles and/or electrodes around their eyes, and the computer tracks eye movements in response to visual stimuli, positional changes (including the Dix-Hallpike), and temperature changes in the ear (calorics – which might use air or water to induce the temperature change).
No one likes the sensation of being dizzy; but the best way to determine the specific cause of your symptoms is to challenge your system. I always advise patients that we do help you stop any dizziness we cause, and the more relaxed you can be, the more accurate our results are.