Dizziness is one of the most common complaints that patients see their doctors for
Dizziness and balance issues are common problems; they can cause great distress to those struggling with them. Dizziness can present in many different ways, such as:
- feeling lightheaded
- feeling faint
- unsteadiness or loss of balance
- Vertigo - the sensation of you or your surroundings 'spinning'.
Other symptoms that are sometimes experienced alongside these include:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Visual disturbances
- Hearing changes
These symptoms can be caused by an inner ear disorder affecting your 'Vestibular system'. Specially trained Vestibular rehabilitation Physiotherapists assist with treating such conditions through a variety of different manual techniques and carefully selected exercises. Our Specialist vestibular Physiotherapists here have additional training and experience in treating these symptoms and conditions, such as:
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
- Labyrinthitis
- Vestibular migraine
- Cervicogenic dizziness (Dizziness with Neck pain)
- Vestibular neuritis
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Dizziness: There are many different causes, which can make it difficult to diagnose. Symptoms can be vague ( feeling lightheaded or disoriented) or more clear-cut with sensations of spinning and feeling off-balance. The most common cause of vertigo is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), which can be treated by specialist physiotherapy
Chris Cork is our registered certified vestibular physiotherapist registered with ACPIVR
Other causes of dizziness include:
Migrainous Vertigo (Vestibular Migraine)
Vestibular Neuronitis / Labyrinthitis
Meniere’s Disease
Acoustic Neuroma
Following a stroke or after a head injury
Certain drugs
A stiff and painful neck (Cervicogenic Dizziness)
Neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis
Ageing affects the Balance System
Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based programme designed to help the brain compensate following an episode of vertigo or dizzy spells. Our specialist physiotherapist will take a comprehensive history, perform an assessment of eye movements, and conduct balance tests. Depending on the assessment findings, three methods of exercise can be prescribed
Habituation exercises are more appropriate for patients who report dizziness in visually stimulating settings, such as busy shopping areas, walking on patterned flooring, or even watching action films or scrolling on a computer. Over time, the exercises will improve the dizziness as the brain learns to ignore some of these abnormal signals
Gaze stabilisation exercises are given to patients who report their visual world jumping or bouncing, such as when reading or moving around. These exercises improve the control of eye movements with head movements
Balance retraining exercises improve patients’ ability to walk outdoors, walk in the dark, and feel more secure on uneven ground. These exercises are designed to be challenging, but patients should feel safe
Please contact us if you have queries or to book in for an assessment now, we are easy to reach from Thanet, Ashford, Sittingbourne, Medway and Canterbury
Vestibular rehabilitation (VRT)
Vestibular system includes parts of the inner ear and brain that control balance
and eye movement. Damage to the vestibular system can cause vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus or hearing loss, causing problems related to balance, coordination and gait
We use specialist treatment techniques for conditions related to BPPV, Vestibular Neuronitis / Labyrinthitis etc.
Our approach is holistic, we include gait analysis, balance, coordination and gaze treatment. We are ACPIVR registered
Please contact us if you have queries or to book in for an assessment now,we are easy to reach from Thanet, Ashford, Sittingbourne, Medway and Canterbury.
