Dizziness, loss of balance, vertigo, light-headedness, motion sensitivity and difficulty reading when in motion can be attributed to a vestibular disorder (where the communication between the brain and inner ear has been disrupted). Symptoms can vary from acute to chronic, and can arise from motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, falls, ear infections or medication. In severe cases, they can even be indicators of serious health risks.
Symptoms due to vestibular disorders can diminish quality of life and impact all aspects of daily living. Secondary symptoms can also manifest as emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression, and frequently cause people to adopt a sedentary lifestyle in order to avoid bringing on, or worsening, dizziness and imbalance. As a result, decreased muscle strength and flexibility, increased joint stiffness, and reduced stamina can occur.
Common Vestibular Disorders
Some common balance disorders treated through Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (“VRT”) include:
● Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
● Meniere’s disease
● Vestibular neuritis
● Migraines
● Stroke
● Post-Concussion Syndrome
VRT Assessment
Our certified physiotherapists will conduct a thorough clinical assessment, which will include obtaining a complete history of the event, and will evaluate head and eye movements, balance and walking, motion sensitivity and musculoskeletal function, in order to differentiate between vestibular and non-vestibular disorders.
Using the symptom of “dizziness” as an example, as a vestibular disorder it is sometimes described as a sensation of spinning, with an involuntary rhythmic side-to-side, up and down or circular motion of the eyes (nystagmus) and a sensation that the environment around them is moving. It may also feel like motion sickness and imbalance, as though falling or leaning to one side. Our physiotherapists are trained in the distinctions of all of the symptoms that may present.
VRT Treatment and Benefits
VRT is conducted, either passively or actively, through a process of adaptation and compensation/substitution (alternative strategies) to reprogram and retrain your vestibular system to reconnect with the brain in order to regulate stability and balance. Some of the benefits of VRT are:
● Alleviation of spinning sensations
● Restored balance
● Decreased motion sensitivity and nausea
● Reduced headaches
● Decreased sensitivity to bright lights and noises
● Increased ability to read and concentrate
Treatments will vary for each individual, but may involve a combination of balance, vision and coordination retraining exercises, special habituation exercises (repeated exposure to specific movements or visual stimuli so the brain can learn to ignore abnormal signals from the ear), and/or a repositioning manoeuvre for BPPV. As with most physiotherapy treatments, it is important to establish an exercise program that can be performed regularly at home to assist in achieving and maintaining proper vestibular rehabilitation.
Make an appointment with our certified physiotherapists now.
