Vertigo really isn't as cool as U2 makes it sound

Good balance is something that is often taken for granted. Most people don’t think twice about walking across a gravel path, reaching up to the top cupboard or bending over to tie their shoelaces. With impaired balance day-to-day activities can be challenging or extremely fatiguing. Symptoms that can often accompany unsteadiness include dizziness, vertigo, nausea or changes in hearing or vision.

Symptoms like those mentioned above can be difficult to explain. Dizziness can be described as a feeling of lightheadedness or unsteadiness, whereas vertigo can be described as a false sense of spinning or rocking. In most instances, dizziness and vertigo are caused by conditions that are not serious, however the impact of these symptoms on one's daily activities and quality of life cannot be overlooked and should be addressed.

We control our balance by interpreting information from our vision (sight), from receptors in our joints (touch) and through the vestibular system (inner ears). The purpose of the vestibular system is to monitor the position and motion of your head in space. In many cases dizziness that is triggered or made worse with specific movements can be related to the vestibular (inner ear) system not functioning as it should causing a mismatch of information sent to the brain.

The good news…there is hope! Vestibular physiotherapy is often an extremely effective option for treating the symptoms of dizziness and vertigo.

Vestibular physiotherapy aims to assess the balance systems and identify triggers that bring on these unsettling symptoms. Once triggers are established, specific exercises can be prescribed to help manage symptoms and coordinate balance systems. These exercises incorporate eye, head and body movements to increase the strength and tolerance of these balance systems to the challenges of daily life. Sometimes these exercises can bring on symptoms of vertigo as the body and the brain recalibrates, however over time this will ease as you adjust to new movement patterns.

Feel like the above speaks to you? Our Physio Bec specialises in the management of Vertigo and dizziness disorders and practices full time at The Studio. Book in with Bec for an Initial assessment and she will help you towards symptom relief.