Dizziness- how Physiotherapy can help

This week one of our Physio's Natalie Bennison who has completed further study in Vestibular Physiotherapy discusses 'Dizziness' & how Physiotherapy can help.

Dizziness – it means different things to different people. But did you know that physiotherapy can help with some causes of dizziness?

There are two main peripheral causes of dizziness that physiotherapy can treat:

1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is a very common condition that occurs when crystals in the inner ear get dislodged into the vestibular system and cause mixed messaging to be sent to the brain about where the head is in relation to space. This causes a symptom called Vertigo – which is the sensation of the room spinning around you.

To treat BPPV, you have to move through a series of head positions to relocate the crystals – a little bit like a labyrinth ball game where you move the silver ball bearing through a maze to drop it into a hole.

2. Vestibular hypofunction

This condition occurs when there is a partial or complete deficit in the vestibular system and this can be from many different causes. It results in lots of different symptoms including visual blurring, dizziness, poor balance, and vertigo (if there is only one system impacted).

Physiotherapy treatment is aimed at improving gaze stability (or the ability to focus on a target), postural control and balance.

If you are experiencing dizziness, it is imperative that you have it assessed by a skilled clinician in this area to find the root cause. Contact PROmotion on 9284 4405 for more information or to book online Vestibular / BPPV Physiotherapy initial appointments click here.