WHAT’S CAUSING YOUR DIZZINESS AND/OR VERTIGO AND HOW PT CAN HELP
How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Balance
Dizziness is a general term used to describe a sense of unsteadiness that may be due to a lack of sleep, poor nutrition, overexertion, or a physical ailment (i.e., a head cold or the flu). Dizziness can also occur from something as simple as standing up too quickly after an extended period of rest. Some accompanying symptoms to dizziness may include: • Loss of balance • Lightheadedness or heavy-headedness • Momentarily impaired vision • Feeling unsteady or faint Vertigo is the result of an issue in your inner ear, also known as the “vestibular system.” Your vestibular system helps you maintain your balance and center of gravity by sending messages to your brain regarding your movement. When the vestibular system is impaired, the messages to your brain are altered, and your movement becomes affected. You may feel as if the world is spinning around you, you can’t focus your vision for prolonged periods, or you can’t stand/move appropriately without feeling like you’ll topple over. Some common causes of vertigo include: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when the tiny calcium crystals located in your ears break apart and move around to different parts of the ear that they are not supposed to be in. Meniere’s disease. This occurs when fluid builds up in your ear(s). This typically includes ringing sounds in the inner ear and sudden waves of vertigo that may last for hours. You may also experience momentary hearing losses. Vestibular neuritis. This is an inner-ear infection that can cause vertigo. Migraines. Migraines can impact your vestibular system, and may be coupled with sensitivities to light or sound, or may also impair your vision. Stroke. A stroke affects movement in your whole body. If you recently suffered a stroke, you may experience waves of vertigo which may linger for extended periods of time. Some accompanying symptoms to vertigo may also include: • Inability to focus or remain alert • Double vision • Nausea or vomiting • Arm or leg weakness • Difficulty seeing or speaking • Sweating • Abnormal eye movements
Dizziness and vertigo can both hinder your balance, limiting your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Luckily, no matter the cause, physical therapy for dizziness and vertigo can help. Our therapists have some of the most advanced techniques for diagnosing and treating dizziness and vertigo, including vestibular rehabilitation and videonystagmography.
Our physical therapists will perform a proper physical examination and take a thorough medical history to ensure we provide a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. The primary goal of the assessment is to identify the specific cause of your dizziness and use a combination of manual therapy, balance exercises therapy, posture corrections, and • Reducing vestibular symptoms through specific head and body movements and positions. These movements help restore the calcium deposits to alleviate your dizziness. • Balance exercises and vestibular rehabilitation. Specific balance exercises and particular activities focus on decreasing nerve sensitivity and reducing the effects of vertigo. • Postural education to optimize function. education to help you resolve your condition. The most common treatments will focus on: Our therapists may use videonystagmography to determine whether a vestibular disease is causing your dizziness or vertigo. It is the only test available to decipher whether there is a vestibular loss in one or both ears. This non-invasive test uses infrared goggles to record a patient’s eye movements to determine how well the patient can react to visual stimuli responses sent from the vestibular system. If you believe you may be experiencing vertigo, contact us today. We’ll provide relief for all of your symptoms. Physical therapy is essential to identify the correct exercises to relieve dizziness and vertigo to improve balance. Contact Physical Therapy Specialties today to get started!
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