Vestibular Physiotherapy
Physio for Dizziness, Vertigo and Balance Problems
Are you experiencing problems with dizziness, vertigo and balance, that are having an impact on your everyday life?
You might feel like the room is spinning when you move, or you might become unsteady on your feet or feel off balance when you move your head.
Some people even experience nausea, blurred or bouncing vision, motion sensitivity or an ongoing feeling like the ground is moving
These unsettling feelings may be related to a problem within the vestibular system. The part of the inner ear and brain that helps control balance, spatial awareness and eye movements.
What Is Vestibular Physiotherapy?
Vestibular physiotherapy is a specialised area of physiotherapy that assesses and treats certain causes of dizziness, vertigo, imbalance and motion sensitivity.
Treatment is based on identifying how your vestibular system, vision, brain and body are working together. It is not simply a general programme of balance exercises. Your assessment and treatment plan will depend on your symptoms, medical history and the findings of specific clinical tests.
Vestibular rehabilitation may involve carefully selected head, eye and body movements designed to improve balance, reduce sensitivity to movement and help your brain adapt to changes in the signals it receives from the inner ear.
What Conditions Can Vestibular Physio Help?
Vestibular physiotherapy may be suitable for people experiencing:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Dizziness or spinning when turning over in bed
- Vertigo triggered by looking up, bending down or moving the head
- Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis
- Ongoing imbalance following an inner-ear disorder
- Reduced balance or an increased risk of falling
- Motion sensitivity
- Visual dizziness in busy shops, crowds or traffic
- Dizziness following concussion
- Difficulty keeping vision clear while moving
- Persistent dizziness after the original medical condition has settled
Not every type of dizziness comes from the vestibular system. Dizziness can also be associated with medication, migraine, cardiovascular problems, neurological conditions, anxiety and other medical causes. A thorough assessment is therefore important before deciding whether vestibular physiotherapy is appropriate.
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BPPV Treatment
BPPV is one of the most common causes of positional vertigo. It can occur when tiny calcium crystals within the inner ear move into a part of the balance system where they don't belong.
This can cause a brief but intense spinning sensation, often triggered by rolling over in bed, getting up, looking upwards or bending forward.
If your assessment indicates BPPV, treatment may include a canalith repositioning procedure. This is a specific sequence of head and body movements intended to guide the displaced particles back to their correct location. The appropriate procedure depends on which part of the inner ear is affected, so accurate assessment is key.
What Happens During an Assessment?
Lorenzo will begin with a thorough Vestibular Assessment, which involves discussing your symptoms in detail, when they started, what triggers them, how long they last and how they affect your daily life.
Some of the tests that your assessment might include:
- Eye movements and visual stability
- Head-movement tolerance
- Standing and walking balance
- Coordination
- Positional vertigo
- General movement, strength and mobility
Following the assessment, Lorenzo will explain the findings and whether vestibular physiotherapy is likely to help. Treatment may include a repositioning procedure, balance rehabilitation, gaze-stability exercises, gradual exposure to symptom-provoking movements or an individual home exercise programme.
The aim is to help you move more confidently, improve your balance and reduce the impact your symptoms have on everyday life.
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Please Note: Sudden dizziness accompanied by facial drooping, weakness, difficulty speaking, severe headache, fainting, chest pain or an inability to walk requires urgent medical assessment.