Feeling dizzy or unsteady on your feet can turn your world upside down. Simple activities like walking around your home, getting out of bed, or even just turning your head can suddenly become challenging and frightening. When you experience issues with your coordination, dizziness, or symptoms of vertigo, it can feel like your entire life has changed.
If these sensations are familiar, know that you are not alone and that effective treatments are available. But dizziness, vertigo, and balance issues can be caused by a number of things, and it’s not often easy to diagnose yourself.
This is why it’s important to seek a full diagnosis from your primary care provider to identify the root cause. For many people, physical therapy offers a powerful path toward regaining stability and control as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Conditions that affect your balance and perception
Your sense of balance is managed by a complex system of perception organs and nerve pathways with the inner ear playing a main role. This part of your ear, known as the vestibular system, sends signals to your brain about your head’s position and movement.
When this system is disrupted in one of many different ways, it can lead to a range of disorienting symptoms like dizziness, vertigo (the sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning), and general unsteadiness.
Several conditions can affect the vestibular system and cause balance problems. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This is one of the most frequent causes of vertigo. It occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals, called otoconia, become dislodged and move into the wrong part of the inner ear. This sends confusing signals to the brain about head movement, triggering brief but intense episodes of vertigo, often when changing head positions.
- Ménière’s disease: This chronic inner ear disorder is characterized by a buildup of fluid in the inner ear. Sufferers often experience sudden attacks of severe vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and a feeling of fullness in the ear. While there is no cure for Ménière’s disease, Ménière’s disease balance problems can be managed effectively with lifestyle changes and therapy.
- Vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis: Both of these conditions are caused by inflammation in the inner ear, usually from a viral infection. Vestibular neuritis affects the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain, causing vertigo without hearing loss. Labyrinthitis involves inflammation of both the vestibular nerve and the cochlea, leading to vertigo and changes in hearing.
- Vestibular migraine: Some people with a history of migraine experience vestibular symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, and balance issues as part of their migraine attacks, even without a headache.
- Post-concussion syndrome: A concussion can damage the vestibular system, leading to persistent dizziness, balance problems, and difficulty focusing.
For many of these conditions, physical therapy is often recommended as a primary or highly beneficial treatment.
Exercises and treatments for dizziness and vertigo
Even if you don’t have a specific diagnosis from a specialist, a physical therapist can design a personalized treatment plan to help reduce your symptoms. This approach, known as vestibular rehabilitation therapy, uses specific exercises to reduce symptoms and improve stability.
Every person’s journey with vestibular issues is different, and the specific approach that’s right for you will vary. These are just a few common physical therapy balance exercises and treatments that may or may not be utilized as part of your treatment:
Canalith repositioning maneuvers (Epley maneuver)
If you are diagnosed with BPPV, your physical therapist can teach you a series of specific head and body movements known as the Epley maneuver. The goal is to guide the dislodged crystals back to the part of the inner ear where they belong so they no longer cause symptoms. For many people with BPPV, this maneuver provides immediate relief from vertigo symptoms.
Gaze stabilization exercises
These exercises help improve control of eye movements so your vision can remain clear during head movement. Your brain learns to rely on other senses to compensate for the faulty signals from your inner ear. You might be asked to fix your gaze on a stationary object while slowly moving your head from side to side or up and down. The goal is to keep the object in focus without it appearing to move or blur.
Habituation exercises
Habituation exercises are designed to reduce dizziness by gradually and safely exposing you to the specific movements that trigger your symptoms. Over time, your brain gets used to the stimulus and your dizziness response diminishes.
For example, if bending over makes you dizzy, your physical therapist might have you practice this movement in a controlled and progressive way until it no longer causes a reaction.
Balance training exercises
Balance is like a muscle—it gets stronger with practice. Your physical therapist will guide you through exercises that challenge your stability in a safe environment. These exercises may start with simple tasks like standing on one foot or walking heel-to-toe. As you improve, you might progress to standing on uneven surfaces (like a foam pad) or walking while turning your head.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy at Rehab access
Dealing with dizziness and balance problems can be frustrating, but vestibular therapy at Rehab Access offers a clear path forward. Our skilled physical therapists are trained in vestibular rehabilitation and are dedicated to helping you reduce your symptoms and get back to living your life with confidence.
You don’t necessarily need a formal diagnosis to benefit from balance training. If you (or a loved one) feel unsteady or have a fear of falling, our team can create a program to improve your stability and overall safety. We work with you to understand your unique challenges and develop a personalized plan that addresses your specific needs and goals.
Find out today if physical therapy may be the accessible and practical care you need to feel more confident by calling one of our New Orleans clinics or by requesting an appointment online today.