Vestibular Physiotherapy Brisbane
What is Vertigo & How We Can Help You:
Vertigo is a term commonly used for dizziness that comes on suddenly with movement. People often describe their symptoms as feeling as though they or the room is spinning, they can feel off-balance, nauseas, and generally “off”. Sometimes it can be so bad it stops people from getting out of bed. For others it can be milder and mainly interrupt higher-level activities like yoga or other exercise. The good news is that vestibular physiotherapists can treat many types of vertigo. It is not a condition you should put up with, get it properly assessed and treated today at All Care Physiotherapy.
Types of Vertigo/Vestibular Issues that we can help treat:
- Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPPV): This type of vertigo is caused by a mechanical issue in the inner ear and presents as sudden onset dizziness/nausea with specific movements, often lying down, sitting up or rolling over. This is the most common cause of sudden dizziness and is easily treated by a physiotherapist.
- Vestibular neuronitis/labrynthitis: This type often presents as constant dizziness/nausea that can last for up to a week and make you feel terrible. After the initial intense symptoms settle there is often an ongoing dizziness that continues with movement or rapid eye movement. It is important to get a diagnosis and treat/rehabilitate this condition in order to completely recover afterwards.
- Vestibular Migraine: Dizzy symptoms that come on intermittently over a long period of time. Often with an associated head/neck pain and occasionally visual disturbances. Vestibular rehabilitation is important in maintaining a high level of balance and ability to continue doing the things you enjoy in life.
- Vestibular Hypofunction: A significant loss of balance and associated difficulty walking and feeling generally dizzy and unwell.
What Are The Most Common BPPV Symptoms?
Common symptoms of BPPV include the sensation of the whole world turning around you, followed by a feeling of nausea or general sickness. These symptoms will often come on with a change in movement, such as laying down or sitting up from bed, or turning from one side to the other. They appear and disappear throughout the day with no warning and can be distressing when you experience them. It’s important to stay calm, drink plenty of water and book in to see a vestibular physiotherapist as soon as possible.
The neck also plays an important role in balance and will tighten up as a way to compensate for the loss of balance. As a result, neck pain and restriction are both common side effects of BPPV, however, our experienced team is able to treat this as well.
Why Does BPPV Happen?
This form of vertigo occurs when tiny crystals called Otoconia break off from their normal location on the utricle, a sensory organ in the inner ear, and instead make their way into one of three canals in the vestibular system. The brain receives exaggerated signals from these loose crystals, and the vestibular and visual systems then conflict and stimulate a sensation that the head is spinning or moving excessively.
There are a multitude of factors that are risk factors for getting this; including (but not limited to) head injuries, osteoporosis, infection, migraines or being of a mature age.
If you’re experiencing this issue, don’t ignore it – and don’t try to treat this condition without first speaking to a professional, as you may make it worse. A qualified All Care physiotherapist can provide a plan for vertigo treatment Brisbane that will stop your pain and discomfort, allowing you to get back to normal life.
What Kind Of Vestibular Physio Do We Offer At All Care Physiotherapy?
Our Vestibular Physiotherapist, Jess, has advanced training in various Vestibular Conditions. A thorough assessment using visual recording goggles is imperative to a correct diagnosis and treatment and is the first step when you see our Vestibular Physiotherapist at All Care Physio. Once your issue has been identified, patients who have a true BPPV are then managed with Canalith Repositioning Techniques to capture and clear the loose crystals from the canals. This type of treatment involves moving the head in specific ways to dislodge the stuck crystals. It is completely non-invasive and pain-free, although will likely recreate some dizziness throughout. Manoeuvres are performed both in the clinic and at home as an exercise program and can be treated in 3 sessions or less!
Additionally, any neck or additional vestibular issues which arise and are found on the initial examination are also treated as seen fit by our expert physiotherapists.
Contact All Care Physiotherapy Today
Here at All Care Physiotherapy, we are experts in the management of vertigo, the neck and all things associated with them. If your vertigo is in fact directly related to your inner ear or neck, you can be confident that we will be able to manage and treat your symptoms to the very best of our abilities.
Get in touch with our team or book an appointment now for an assessment and vertigo treatment Brisane.