Physiotherapy for Vertigo: Restoring Balance and Confidence
Does the room seem to spin when you roll over in bed, look up, or bend down? Vertigo can make everyday activities uncomfortable and affect your confidence when moving. **Vestibular physiotherapy can help with certain causes of vertigo and imbalance**, but an assessment is essential to identify the right treatment.
At LifeCare Physiotherapy, we offer vestibular assessments and individualized rehabilitation to help patients manage dizziness and improve balance.
What is vertigo?
Vertigo is the sensation that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning when there is no actual movement. It is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. Dizziness can also feel like light-headedness or unsteadiness, and these sensations may have different causes.
What is BPPV?
**Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)** is a common inner-ear condition in which tiny calcium carbonate particles move into a semicircular canal where they do not belong. Certain head movements then trigger misleading signals about motion, causing brief episodes of spinning.
BPPV commonly causes symptoms when rolling in bed, lying down, looking upward, or bending over. However, these symptoms alone do not confirm the diagnosis. Specific positional tests help identify the affected ear and canal.
How can physiotherapy help?
Treatment depends on the cause of your symptoms.
**Repositioning manoeuvres for BPPV:** A trained clinician guides your head and body through a sequence of positions to move the displaced particles out of the affected canal. The Epley’s manoeuvre is commonly used for posterior-canal BPPV; other canals require different techniques.
**Vestibular rehabilitation for reduced inner-ear function:** When the inner ear’s balance system is not working adequately, rehabilitation may include gaze-stabilization exercises, balance training, walking exercises, and gradual exposure to movements that provoke symptoms. Strong evidence supports vestibular rehabilitation for diagnosed peripheral vestibular hypo-function. These exercises help improve visual stability, balance, and everyday function.
What happens during an assessment?
Your physiotherapist will ask when your symptoms started, how long episodes last, and which movements trigger them. Depending on your symptoms and safety considerations, assessment may include:
– Positional testing for BPPV
– Eye movement and gaze-stability testing
– Balance and walking assessments
– Review of how dizziness affects daily activities
Your physiotherapist will explain the findings and recommend treatment or further medical assessment when appropriate. Not every cause of dizziness responds to repositioning manoeuvres or vestibular exercises.
How long does recovery take?
Recovery varies according to the diagnosis, symptom severity, and other health factors. BPPV may improve after repositioning, but some patients need repeat treatment or reassessment. Other vestibular conditions may require a progressive exercise program over several weeks. Persistent or changing symptoms should be reviewed rather than assumed to be the same condition.
When should you seek urgent medical care?
Call 911 if sudden vertigo occurs with double vision or vision loss, difficulty speaking, or new weakness or numbness in an arm or leg. These symptoms can indicate a medical emergency. Sudden hearing loss with vertigo also requires urgent medical assessment.
Get help for vertigo and balance concerns
If dizziness or spinning is affecting your daily life, an assessment can help you understand your symptoms and explore appropriate treatment.