Have you noticed yourself getting disoriented and losing your balance? Are you dizzy and feel off-balance, or has it even caused you to stumble or fall? Do you have to grab onto furniture or lean against a wall to steady yourself?
A vestibular problem might be the cause of your dizziness. Fortunately, at Ohana Physical Therapy, our physical therapists can help you figure out the source of your symptoms and guide you to a solution that works!
Dizziness is typically considered a symptom of various diseases of different causes. One of the most common causes is dysfunction of the vestibular system, both peripheral (inner ear, vestibular nerve) and central (brainstem, cerebellum).
Here at Ohana Physical Therapy, our therapists are trained to handle balance issues and vestibular rehabilitation. They can perform a thorough evaluation to recognize common vestibular conditions and provide treatment to alleviate symptoms effectively.
Contact our office today to request an appointment and learn more about your vestibular rehabilitation treatment options!
What are the common symptoms and causes of dizziness and vertigo?
Dizziness and vertigo describe everything from feeling off balance and disoriented to feeling as if you are floating or the world is spinning. These symptoms can affect your balance and ability to stay standing still and upright.
Often the reasons for balance issues are related to the vestibular system. The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that help control your balance and movements of the eye.
The vestibular system can be affected by disease, aging, or injury and is often associated with one or more of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness: A sensation of lightheadedness or unsteadiness.
- Imbalance: Unsteadiness or loss of equilibrium.
- Vertigo: A rotating or spinning perception of movement, either self or surrounding objects.
- Brain fog: Recalling details may become more complicated, and thinking might seem slow.
- Tinnitus: A ringing, hissing, whistling, buzzing, or clicking sound perceived in one or both ears.
- Hearing loss: Any reduced ability to hear sounds can signify problems with your vestibular system.
- Vision impairment: There is a link between the vestibular system and vision called the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). It is a significant factor that needs to be considered.
- Nausea: The feeling of being sick to your stomach.
Feeling dizzy throughout the day as you try to work and get things done can be highly disorienting; however, dizziness rarely means you have a life-threatening condition. The good news is that Ohana Physical Therapy, our physical therapists specialize in vestibular rehabilitation and can help you get back to normal!
What is vestibular rehabilitation?
Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause and symptoms but is usually very effective. About 50% of all dizziness is due to the vestibular system, and most of these individuals get relief with physiotherapy-based vestibular rehabilitation.
The vestibular system gives our brains vital information about how we move and how our heads are positioned. It also involves motor functions controlling our overall balance, stability, and posture.
Vestibular rehabilitation is a process of adaptation and compensation to reprogram or reset the connections with the brain to restore balance and stability.
Our team of physical therapists at Ohana Physical Therapy will thoroughly evaluate your entire body. We will assess your joints, muscles, coordination, posture, inner ears, and eye-tracking capabilities. This way, they’ll be able to pinpoint the exact issue affecting your balance.
No two exercise treatment plans are exactly alike. Every program is developed by identifying your deficits. For example, if your symptoms are due to an inner ear problem, you will need to learn how to do some self-treatment exercises.
In addition, we will conduct a specific balance assessment to complement vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
Our programs focus on the following:
- Vision stability training enhances the stability of your gaze
- Posture training to improve your stability
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Balance retraining
- Walking exercises
- Neck mobility/stretching exercises
- Restoring your ability to perform the activities of daily living you have been avoiding
We will prescribe a treatment plan of specific exercises, targeted stretches, and movement techniques to reset and improve your vestibular system and regain balance!
Contact Ohana Physical Therapy today
If your dizzying symptoms are holding you back from living your typical daily life, call to schedule an appointment with one of our Ohana Physical Therapy physical therapists.
Our specialized services, including vestibular rehabilitation, will help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible and help you stop your world from spinning today!
