Remember spinning around in circles as a child? How most of us laughed when the room kept spinning after we stopped? What we didn’t know then is that we were experiencing a type of dizziness called vertigo for the first time.
Dizziness is often confused with vertigo, but it’s actually a different issue. However, each is a common issue that Americans experience. Researchers report that dizziness and vertigo affect between 15% and 20% of U.S. adults yearly. Learning the cause of your dizziness or vertigo is the first step to treating it successfully, and our physical therapists can help you figure out how to stop feeling dizzy with vestibular rehab.
Knowing the cause of dizziness and vertigo can help you learn how to stop feeling dizzy
There are many issues that can cause dizziness and vertigo. An experienced vestibular rehab specialist can help you figure out the source of your symptoms and how to stop feeling dizzy.
Vertigo can be caused by a variety of conditions, but it’s typically characterized by a sensation that the room is spinning around you. Dizziness is responsible for symptoms like lightheadedness, trouble balancing and feeling faint. You may even experience double vision when you’re dizzy. The combination of dizziness and vertigo can be caused by:
- Migraines
- Inner ear infections
- Head injuries
- Tumors
- Strokes
However, most vertigo involves a problem with part of the vestibular system: the inner ear. One of the most common types of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is an inner ear problem.
How can vestibular rehab help you stop feeling dizzy?
Vestibular rehab is an effective treatment for dizziness and vertigo. In fact, it’s specifically designed to help patients learn how to stop feeling dizzy. One study shows that vestibular rehab helped patients improve their ability to function by more than 33% after four weeks of treatment. A physical therapist will perform tests to determine the cause of your dizziness and vertigo. You’ll also be asked questions such as:
- How long the vertigo lasts
- When it first started
- If you have nausea with the spinning
- What you’re doing when you experience vertigo
The goal of a physical therapist is to eliminate the symptoms of vertigo and get you moving again. Vestibular rehab can take many forms. You may be given exercises to improve your ability to focus your eyes. Others may be prescribed to help the brain correct differences with the inner ear and to improve balance.
You may even have therapy sessions where the therapist moves your head and body in different ways that are intended to reduce dizziness and vertigo. These movements are known as canalith repositioning procedures.
Ready to find vestibular rehab to help fight your dizziness? Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help
Our therapy experts at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you learn how to stop feeling dizzy with vestibular rehab. First, we’ll perform a free screening for you that’s designed to reveal the source of your dizziness and vertigo. Then, our team will build you a personalized vestibular rehab plan intended to reduce your symptoms.
Things keeping you at home? We’re currently offering virtual care and at-home therapy services. By using these two therapy options, you can get the effective therapy you need without even leaving your home.
Take the next step to start getting our help with dizziness and vertigo. Contact our team today for more information about vestibular rehab or to schedule an initial appointment.
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