Epley maneuver

noun

Ep·​ley maneuver ˈe-plē- 

plural Epley maneuvers

medical

: a procedure to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo that involves manipulating the head in a series of distinct movements in order to reposition calcium carbonate crystals of the inner ear that have become dislodged from the utricle and entered the semicircular canals

The Epley maneuver repositions the crystals so they no longer interfere with normal balance mechanisms.

—Andrew Weil

Examples of Epley maneuver in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Epley maneuver is a series of head movements that move the crystals back into the correct location within your inner ear.6 Ménière's Disease Ménière's disease (MD) is another common inner ear problem caused by an excess fluid buildup in the ear. —Isadora Baum, Health, 11 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

after John M. Epley born 1930, American otologist who developed it

Note: The first full published description of the maneuver by Epley was "The Canalith Repositioning Procedure: For Treatment of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo," Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, vol. 107, issue 3 (September 1, 1992), pp. 399-404. The procedure, however, was first demonstrated before a medical audience in October, 1980 (see The Sunday Oregonian, December 31, 2006, pp. A1, A10).

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above