You're in the right hands
Symptoms of vertigo and dizziness are one of the most common reasons that people see their GP. However, the good news is that most forms of vertigo are benign and easily treated by physiotherapists who have specialist training in vestibular rehabilitation.
Causes of dizziness
The most common cause of dizziness is known as BPPV which stands for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals get trapped in one of the canals of your inner ear. When this occurs, lying down, rolling in bed, looking up or down causes the crystals to move and results in an intense spinning sensation that can last for up to 20-30 seconds. Untreated, these symptoms can continue to occur for several weeks, however vestibular physiotherapists are able to manage them with special manoeuvres and exercises, and is most cases symptoms completely resolve after one to two treatments.
Another common cause of dizziness is vestibular neuritis where the balance nerve gets inflamed, most commonly by a viral infection, leading to loss of normal function of the nerve in one ear. This can cause vertigo, imbalance, nausea, vomiting and visual deficits. Vestibular physiotherapists are able to prescribe specific exercises to help compensate for the loss of nerve function, restoring balance, visual acuity and quality of life.
Several other conditions that commonly cause vertigo, including vestibular migraine, Meniere’s disease, and concussion can be successfully treated by vestibular physiotherapists.
Developing vertigo, especially for the first time can be an unfamiliar and distressing experience. Vestibular Physiotherapists are able to differentiate between a peripheral (inner ear) and central (brain) causes of your symptoms by performing a comprehensive assessment of your eye movements, inner ear function, co-ordination and balance and by utilising specialised infrared goggles. We always communicate our findings to your GP and assist with further investigations or referrals to neurologists or ENT surgeons if indicated.