OCTOBER 2019
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in circles then stop in an attempt to experience the exhilaration of the room spinning, but vertigo in adults often leaves them disconcerted, especially when it happens suddenly. While it is sometimes a first warning sign of an impending stroke or other neurological condition, vertigo is also a side effect of some medications and the result of a problem with your inner ear. What does your inner ear have to do with your sense of balance? Everything. While your inner ear is responsible for transmitting sound waves from the movement of bones in the middle ear to the auditory nerve in the brain, the semi-circular canals act as a sort of gyroscope in the body. These canals are filled with fluid and millions of hair cells called cilia that respond to your body’s position in space. When something disrupts the ability of these hair cells to react, vertigo is the result. This interference can be caused by concussion or other head injuries, infection or simple aging. How Are Poor Balance, Dizziness and Vertigo Diagnosed? People with balance problems or vertigo often experience a long and frustrating cycle of physician referrals, diagnostic tests and medical treatments without any real resolution to their problem. In fact, the entire diagnostic process is usually focused on what is not causing someone’s vertigo. Ear, Nose and Throat specialists will check for abnormalities in theear,neurologistswill test forneurologicaldiseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease, and chiropractors will manipulate the spine in an effort to relieve vertigo symptoms. The key to diagnosing the root cause of vertigo is actually found in the physical therapist’soffice.Armedwith the latest technology todiagnose and treat vertigo, physical therapists have programs to identify and treat the source of a patient’s balance or dizziness problems. Using specialized equipment, these non-invasive tests end the treadmill of specialists and expensive diagnostics.
Dizziness, a loss of balance and vertigo affect nearly 70 percent of all people over the age of 65. However, these conditions are not exclusive to the elderly. Those with vertigo and dizziness can experience a loss of balance, a fall, serious injury, or a withdrawal from daily activities. Yet for all its frequency, most people have questions about balance and vertigo that go unanswered. What Is Vertigo? Vertigo is a sense that the world is spinning, rocking or rotating even though you are standing, sitting or laying still. Young children often spin BALANCE & VERTIGO ANSWERS TO YOUR MOST DIZZYING QUESTIONS
Struggling with balance and vertigo? Call our professionals today at (503) 567-5771 and learn how MechanoTherapy can help you find solutions to your dizziness.
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