DIZZINESS-HEAD IMPULSE

SUMMARY

1. Head impulse/thrust: tests for loss of vestibular function on the side to which the head is turned.

2. If the patient’s eyes never deviate from the target, then the horizontal canal (on the side toward which the head is turned) is normal.

3. The head impulse test is typically abnormal in peripheral but not central disorders.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].