[Semiology and pathophysiology of vertigo and dizziness : guide for evaluating invalidity and incapacity]. / Séméiologie et physiopathologie des vertiges : orientation pour déterminer l'invalidité et l'incapacité.

After a reminder of the semiology and pathophysiology of balance disorders (vertigo and dizziness), the author considers the disabilities and incapacities that result from these disturbances.

Après un rappel de la séméiologie et de la physiopathologie des vertiges, l'auteur envisage les invalidités et incapacités qui en résultent.

Fundamentals in expertise medicine.

Fundamentals in expertise medicine. The author describes how a medical expert appointed to assess damages to physical integrity must proceed. The individual is appointed an expert either directly by the Court of Justice, or appointed sapiteur by a colleague in order to give his opinion on a subject in which he is specialized.

[Vertigo and psychological repercussions: psychological disorders and vertigo]. / Vertiges et répercussions psychologiques versus pathologies psychologiques et vertiges.

Vestibular dysfunction and other causes of dizziness may trigger psychiatric disorders, but vertigo may be a symptom of psychiatric illness. Specialists dealing with vertigo must keep these interrelationships in mind to provide their patients with the best possible care.

Virtual vestibular re-education. A new technology.

This paper will provide an introduction to the use of virtual environments for vestibular re-education. The author illustrates some of the ways in which researchers are using virtual reality to improve therapy for vertigo. Users of virtual reality must make adaptations to avoid mismatches between perception due to virtual reality and that due to vestibular and proprioceptive subsystems. Virtual reality may be an interesting new way of studying vestibular compensation in normal and pathological conditions.

[Recurrent paroxystic vertigo]. / Les vertiges paroxystiques récidivants.

The author describes the pathology, the symptoms and the treatment of these vertigo.

[Role of kinesitherapy in the treatment of vertigo]. / Place de la kinesithérapie dans le traitement des vertiges.

The author describes how to use kinesitherapy in the treatment of vertigo, particularly benign positional vertigo and vertigo due to labyrinthine lesions.

Neurootological aspects of medical expertise in whiplash-associated disorders.

After summarizing the neurophysiological aspects of whiplash injury, the author proposes a guide for neurootological evaluation in relation to the pathophysiology of the injury.

Forensic aspects of tinnitus in Belgium and France.

In Belgium and in France, tinnitus has to be considered together with the study of hearing loss to determine a degree of disability.

[Benign paroxysmal vertigo or benign postural vertigo]. / Le vertige paroxystique bénin ou vertige de position bénin.

This paper defines the benign paroxysmal vertigo (BPV). It recalls the etiopathogenicity of this syndrome and describes the different types of BPV and their treatment by "liberatory maneuvers". The paper also discusses the need for an otoneurological examination to reach an exact diagnosis.

[Medico-legal aspects of occupational deafness. Update 1998]. / Aspects médico-légaux des surdités professionnelles. Mise au point 1998.

The author gives new information on medicolegal sight of professional deafness in relation to his paper published in this review in 1995.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. State of the art.

This paper defines the benign paroxysmal vertigo (BPV). It recalls the ethiopathogeny of the syndrome and describes the different types of BPV and their treatment by "liberatory maneuvers". The paper also discusses the need for an otoneurological examination to achieve an exact diagnosis.

Cortical electric response audiometry (slow vertex responses) in forensic audiology.

The interest of slow vertex response audiometry (cortical evoked response audiometry), mainly in the diagnosis of pseudohypacousis is reported. The procedure is of interest to forensic audiometry.

[Evaluation of cetirizine and of terfenadine in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis]. / Evaluation de la cetirizine et de la terfenadine dans le traitement de la rhinite allergique perannuelle.

Thirty patients suffering from perennial allergic rhinitis took part in a cross-over, double-blind study during which they were treated for 3 two-week periods with either 10 mg cetirizine nocte or 60 mg terfenadine given morning and evening, or with a placebo. Both the active products were found to significantly improve the symptoms when compared to placebo (p less than or equal to 0.001). Cetirizine helped to reduce the symptoms of a blocked nose to a significantly greater extent than terfenadine (p less than or equal to 0.05). A significantly larger number of patients (p less than or equal to 0.05) preferred cetirizine (17/30) to terfenadine (6/30). Four patients taking cetirizine, and six of those taking terfenadine, reported a mild sedative effect.