Vertigo apps

Key points about vertigo apps

  • There are a variety of apps for people with vertigo.
  • Always use vertigo apps under the supervision of a healthcare provider so they can guide you on whether the app is suitable for your needs.
  • Read more about apps for vertigo and how to use them safely.
Healthify Website tiles Generic 4 dark blue orange
Print this page

There are a variety of apps for vertigo. These apps may have the following features:

  • Information and education: Knowing about vertigo, which exercises are suitable and what to expect can help you manage your condition better.
  • Instructions on how to perform exercises: A few different exercises may help relieve vertigo, depending on the cause of the vertigo. Typically, these exercises are considered either vestibular rehabilitation therapy or part of a canalith repositioning procedure. 
  • Symptom tracking: Tracking and monitoring your symptoms can be helpful to share with your healthcare provider. It can also help you establish what makes your symptoms worse (triggers) and things that help you ease your symptoms.

How to use vertigo apps safely

Do (✔)

  • Always use vertigo apps under the supervision of a healthcare provider so they can guide you on whether the app is suitable for your needs and direct you to which exercises are appropriate for your particular type of vertigo.
  • Use an app to keep track of your symptoms as part of your management plan. Use graphs and reporting for a discussion with your healthcare provider.
  • If you experience an episode of vertigo, it can be very helpful for your specialist team to see a recording of your eye movements; therefore recording your eye movements on your phone during a vertigo attack can be useful for your vestibular therapist or professional.
  • Be aware that some exercises or manoeuvres shown in apps can cause dizziness and vertigo, so supervision is advised.
  • Be careful when reading information on discussion boards or group chat rooms. (Some apps have interactive features, such as discussion boards or group chat rooms, where users can share their experiences. Be cautious because in most cases these aren't monitored by a health professional so the advice or suggestions may not be safe or effective practice.)
  • Know when to seek help.

Don’t (✘)

  • Rely on apps to make a diagnosis of your condition.
  • Perform exercises or manoeuvres without first seeking medical and professional diagnosis and instruction on which exercises in which app to use.
  • Make changes to your medicines based on the recommendations from the app.

App Description Clinical review

BPPV Relief app
  • An app mainly for healthcare providers who work with patients who have vertigo due to benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Patients can also use the app in accordance with guidance and instruction by their physician.
  • Education and information.
  • Sounds, graphs and reporting. 
  • Available from the App Store and Google Play.
  • Cost: $12.99 (one off).
  • Read more about BPPV Relief app.

Positional Vertigo
  • Education and information.
  • Reminders.
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Read more about Positional Vertigo.

Vertigo Coach
  • Reminders.
  • Contains a space to log medications (for historical reference) which might be helpful for tracking any changes in symptoms.
  • Available from Google Play and iTunes.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Read more about Vertigo Coach.

The following vertigo apps are NOT recommended

App Description and concerns

VertiGo Exercise (AR)

The app developers claim the app is for vertigo patients, and that it uses augmented reality (AR) via a virtual trainer with the goal of recovering from vertigo by giving information and education on vertigo and related conditions. However, most users are not able to access the app, including the reviewer.

  • App has not been updated since June 2017 despite negative feedback from users that it doesn't work well. 
  • The app only works with a marker which it states will be provided by a doctor. There is also a download for a marker available in the drop down menu on the app. However, when attempting to download the marker from the app the web page is not available.
  • A number of users posted reviews saying that the marker didn't work, and this is the experience of this reviewer also. As a result the main app features are inaccessible.
  • An online search for the marker by the reviewer yields zero results.
  • You can't access the exercises or prescriptions without the marker. However, you can access the diet information.
  • The diet information has 2 diets “low-salt diet” and “trigger-foods”, which are not comprehensive as they contain only 4 suggestions under each diet. The low-salt diet doesn't comment on foods with low salt.
  • The app doesn't appear to state that a low salt diet is recommended for people who have been diagnosed by a medical practitioner with Meniere's disease, or tell the user what to look for (in terms of salt content) when shopping.
  • The app doesn't appear to warn people with a history of hypotension that they should seek medical advice before commencing this diet (potential safety issue).
  • Neither diet suggestions include some of the well-known diet advice for helping with vertigo (depending on the cause of the vertigo).
  • The app doesn't mention which types of vertigo can be helped by diet or which are triggered by certain foods.

Vertex: Vertigo Exercises

The app claims its intended purpose is to demonstrate vertigo treatment exercises, using the phone’s inbuilt accelerometer to help instruct the user through head exercises.

  • Insufficient information has been given in the app about its intended purpose for exercises that may help with BPPV rather than other vertigo disorders.
  • The app is limited to exercises that may help with BPPV but the app doesn't state this. The app includes the Brandt Daroff exercises which are not a recommended treatment for BPPV.
  • The Epley manoeuvre is not demonstrated with 100% accuracy.
  • There's no advice to seek further medical attention if the manoeuvres fail to fix the problem or if there are other ear or neurological symptoms. Users should seek medical attention for a diagnosis.
  • This app would only be recommended for someone who has already sought medical attention and has received an appropriate diagnosis and explanation of posterior canal BPPV. It might be useful as an adjunct (recommended by a clinician) for home treatment for situations where the person is prone to recurrence (and the clinician has ruled out other mimics).

Vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

App developer: If you are the developer and would like to provide updated information about this app, please email the app library manager at hello@healthify.nz

Disclaimer: Healthify’s app library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.

Read more at: https://healthify.nz/apps/v/vertigo-apps/
Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust