Dizziness – Several different factors can cause dizziness. Factors can include medications, changes in blood pressure, neck pain, headaches, or the inner ear. Your inner ear, or vestibular system, is responsible for detecting your head and body’s motion as well as acceleration and deceleration. If this system is not functioning as it should, you may experience a sensation of spinning and/or unsteadiness. This is often referred to as vertigo.
Vertigo is simply a false sense of motion. Patients often describe the room as spinning, a “wishy-washy” feeling, or a floating feeling. These symptoms may last seconds, minutes, or hours depending on the underlying cause of the vestibular dysfunction. A physical therapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation can assist in determining the cause and recommend the appropriate vestibular exercises.
BPPV – causes & treatment for Dizziness
The most common cause of vertigo is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). If you suffer from BPPV, you will notice that changes in body position affect your vertigo as the position of your inner ear canals is also changing. Someone with BPPV may also experience nausea and vomiting. The dizziness caused by BPPV often lasts less than a minute at a time and subsides if you remain still without any head movement.
Some common causes of BPPV include changes due to aging, genetics, and head trauma. Unfortunately, BPPV is commonly a recurring problem. Physical therapy treatment is highly effective for this type of vertigo. There are positional maneuvers your physical therapist can perform to assist in relocating the otoconia to their appropriate location, which can stop the dizziness. Relief of dizziness can often be achieved in 1-2 treatment sessions.
Dizziness beyond BPPV
Vestibular dysfunction and dizziness can be caused by factors other than BPPV. A physical therapist with specialized training in vestibular dysfunction can help determine the cause of your dizziness with specific evaluation measures.
Physical therapy at SOS PHYSIO Rehab
For those who suffer from dizziness, finding relief is critical to reclaiming independence and confidence in enjoying your life. The ultimate goal of physical therapy treatment is to reduce dizziness associated with inner ear dysfunction and improve safety and quality of life.
If you or a loved one is suffering from dizziness, just contact us at 305-306-8376. We schedule our patients based on urgency, so be sure to inform our team if you need to be seen right away and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
