I had a first bout of positional vertigo after a virus almost 15 years ago. i was 14. since then i was diagnosed with bppv as a result of that test in office. it always comes back after a cold. why?

Discus with ENT: a standing order for a short course of steroids,when dizziness starts.Good luck.

Unisual: BPPV is not usually related to or caused by viruses so your question is hard to answer. There is actually a lot we don't know about the inner ear and the reasons for dizziness. It could be that slight thickening of the inner ear fluid occurs when you have a cold or other inflammatory condition that impacts the ear and causes a spinning sensation. Hope that helps. Bring it up with your doc.

Think of it this way: If you tore a ligament in your knee, let it heal, then for the rest of your life, every time you engaged in physical activity, then your knee would hurt. Your vestibular system is very sensitive. Once you get a bout of BPPV, you are always prone to recurrences.