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If you’re feeling like the room is spinning or you often lose your balance, you might be dealing with vertigo. This sensation can be more than unsettling; it can disrupt your day-to-day activities and impact your quality of life.

Fortunately, vestibular physiotherapy, also known as vestibular rehabilitation, is a treatment approach that could help you reclaim your footing and manage those dizzy spells.

Vestibular physiotherapy targets the root of your balance problems—your inner ear and its connection to the brain.

With a personalized set of exercises, this therapy aims to re-train your brain to process balance information correctly, potentially reducing or even resolving your sense of vertigo.

Understanding Vertigo and Vestibular Disorders

Experiencing vertigo can feel like you or everything around you is spinning, which can be distressing and impact your balance. This sensation often stems from vestibular disorders, which are conditions that affect the inner ear and vestibular system—your body’s main hub for maintaining equilibrium.

Vestibular disorders come in various forms, but one common type is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This occurs when tiny calcium particles clump up in the canals of the inner ear.

Movements such as looking up or rolling over in bed can trigger BPPV, leading to brief but intense spells of dizziness.

Vestibular hypofunction: another kind of vestibular disorder, occurs when the vestibular system is underperforming. It may result in prolonged dizziness and difficulty with maintaining stability.
Labyrinth: a complex system within your inner ear, can become inflamed, a condition known as labyrinthitis, contributing to vertigo and imbalance.
Vestibular nerve, when irritated or damaged, can cause vestibular dysfunction. This may result in symptoms such as unsteadiness, gaze instability, and dizziness.
A vestibular migraine, which is somewhat different from the typical migraine headache, might also lead to vertigo along with sensitivity to motion, light, and sound.

Vertigo vs. Dizziness

When you’re feeling off-balance or as if the world is spinning, it can be challenging to pinpoint whether you’re experiencing vertigo or just plain dizziness. Understanding the difference is crucial, especially when considering vestibular rehabilitation for relief.

Dizziness is a catch-all term that generally refers to feelings of lightheadedness, feeling faint, or unsteady. It’s a sensation of instability, which can lead to nausea or a loss of balance.

On the other hand, vertigo is the specific sensation that either you or your surroundings are moving or spinning, even when there’s no actual movement. It’s more than just feeling dizzy—it’s as though you’ve stepped off a merry-go-round.

If you’re troubled by these symptoms, especially vertigo, vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) may help. This therapy consists of personalized exercises designed to manage vertigo and includes activities like head movements or exercises to improve balance.

How is Vertigo Assessed

When you’re facing episodes of vertigo, knowing how it’s assessed can be quite relieving. Vertigo is no small matter, as it can significantly affect your quality of life, and a thorough assessment is key to proper management.

During an assessment, a physiotherapist will review your medical history, taking age-related changes into account since aging can be a factor in vestibular disorders.

They’ll ask about your symptoms: Do rooms seem to spin when you move your head? This could signal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), more common as you age.

Physical examination tests are next. These may include the Dix-Hallpike maneuver or head-impulse test, which help to differentiate between peripheral vertigo—like in Meniere’s disease or vestibular neuritis—and more central causes, which may involve the brain or central nervous system issues such as multiple sclerosis or stroke.

Consider vestibular rehabilitation, a specialized form of therapy, that’s tailored to reduce dizziness and improve balance, ultimately looking to enhance your quality of life.

Vestibular Physiotherapy for Vertigo

If you’ve ever felt like the room is spinning or had trouble keeping your balance, vestibular physiotherapy might be just what you need. Vertigo can seriously mess with your day-to-day life, and that’s where vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) comes into play.

VRT is all about custom exercises that target your unique symptoms. Say goodbye to dizziness as you engage in balance exercises that train your body to regain stability.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all; physical therapists develop a personalized exercise program tailored specifically to tackle your vertigo.

Here’s a peek at what you might be doing:

  • Gaze stabilization exercises: These help you fix your eyes on a target while you move your head. 
  • Habituation exercises: These are designed to get you used to the dizziness in a controlled way, gradually reducing symptoms.
  • Repositioning maneuvers: Quick movements that reposition crystals in your inner ear, often used for BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo).

Your therapist will also likely send you home with a home exercise program. Consistency is key – the more you practice, the better your balance gets.

Once you start, it’s a partnership: you do your part with the exercises, and your body will begin to learn how to cope with that wonky sense of balance.

Conclusion

When you’re living with vertigo, it can feel like your world is constantly spinning out of control.

Vestibular physiotherapy is your ally in restoring balance and reclaiming your daily activities.

Customized exercises target specific inner ear issues that are the culprits behind your dizziness and imbalance.

Remember, your journey to improvement is unique.

Some benefit from vestibular rehabilitation after just a few sessions, while others may require ongoing therapy.

It’s crucial to work with a therapist experienced in balance and vestibular disorders to tailor a program that fits your specific needs.

Vestibular physiotherapy offers a beacon of hope – you don’t have to settle for a life ruled by vertigo.

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