Common Causes of Dizziness & How Physical Therapy Can Help

Did you know therapy can help with your imbalance issues?

Are you often dizzy or having a sensation of spinning or rocking side to side? Is it affecting your day-to-day life tasks like driving or walking? Are you overly bothered by air pressure changes or walking on uneven surfaces? These are common problems. So much so, that it’s one of the most frequent conditions we treat at Springer Physical Therapy, especially during the winter months.

What Causes Dizziness? A Tale of Two Possibilities

Dizziness can be caused by a central nervous system (brain/brainstem) issue or be of a peripheral (mostly inner ear) origin. While the majority of dizziness is caused by a vestibular malfunction, you’ll need to have your symptoms evaluated to be certain.

Often, patients confuse dizziness with true vertigo. This is a mistake. The cause of their “dizzy” feeling can be more serious than they suspect if it stems from a central nervous system pathology. The vestibular system, on the other hand, includes the parts of the brain, inner ear, and receptors of the feet that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If these areas are damaged by disease or injury, vestibular disorders can appear. Generally, these disorders are suspected in the presence of a vision condition as well.

What Will a Therapist Do for Me?

Our vestibular trained physical therapists will observe how you walk (your gait), assess your inner ear with tests, study your balance, and assess your limb strength and flexibility. Our vestibular therapists will ask you to do a series of movements, first with your eyes closed and then again with them open. You will also be asked detailed questions about your symptoms and their duration in order to create the most effective customized program. In a nutshell, our therapy team will help you strengthen your vestibular system so that your brain, eyes, and sensory information all work together in a pattern.

Here at Springer, we pride ourselves on making sure every patient fully understands their diagnosis and management options. Health literacy is extremely important to us because it allows you to make the most informed decisions and be an active participant in your care.

What Kind of Treatments are Available?

Your treatment plan might include exercises to help improve balance, improve your network of nerves that run between the inner ear and eyes, or treatment to increase your flexibility, strength, and heart health. Our team utilizes adaptation, habituation, substitution, and balance/strength/conditioning exercises for weakness of the vestibular system. One very prevalent condition we see here at Springer is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

We have two treatment methods for this condition called the Epley Maneuver and the Barbeque Roll which can help shift the particles in the ear canal back into place and restore balance. These are things you can look up online and try on your own, but of course, we really recommend you see a licensed professional since this is a condition we treat on a regular basis.

Our therapy team uses an integrated, evidence-based approach to managing your vestibular dysfunction, leading to less worry, less fall risks, and more quality time.

 

Schedule a visit with our team by calling (636) 244-8248. We offer 3 convenient locations in Chesterfield, Creve Coeur and O’Fallon, MO.