Dizziness, Vestibular and Balance
Are You Experiencing Dizziness, Vertigo and Unbalance?
Our body’s balance system is a beautifully complex and adaptable system. It is continually processing information from our inner ear (vestibular system), eyes, neck, and brain. Any mismatch between these information systems can cause headaches, a sense of disequilibrium, dizziness, vertigo (a spinning sensation), unsteadiness, and/or falls.
If you are experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or difficulty with balance, a comprehensive vestibular assessment and balance assessment can help determine the cause of the problem and the most appropriate treatment options.
Possible causes of Vertigo can include:
- Vestibular system disorder
- Displaced crystals in the inner ear (called positional vestibular or BPPV)
- Vestibular neuritis (Infection or inflammation in the inner ear)
- Visual impairments
- Whiplash, head trauma, or concussion
- Neurological dysfunction
- Stroke
- Cerebellar disorders
- Cardiovascular pathology
Vestibular Treatments Include:
- Canalith repositioning maneuvers for BPPV
- Exercises to increase adaptation and compensation of the nervous system
- Manual therapy and exercises to improve neck movement and proprioception
- Vision and gaze stability exercises
- Balance and walking exercises
- Education on activity progression
- Development of a home exercise program
If your symptoms are due to BPPV, canalith repositioning maneuvers are highly effective in resolving the symptoms. If your symptoms are due to reduced vestibular function, the body’s nervous system can be trained to adapt, compensate, and/or rely more heavily on information from other systems. A home exercise program can be successful in reducing the severity and frequency of the symptoms.