There are plenty of Louisiana residents who have felt dizzy or like the room is spinning around them after a night out. Many people will immediately think that these symptoms are simply signs that they have overindulged in tasty alcoholic beverages. However, a physical therapist may have a different diagnosis. These specialists know that these symptoms could be a sign that they have an issue called vertigo. 

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is a sensation that either you or the environment around you is spinning. It’s often accompanied by other symptoms, such as: 

• Trouble maintaining your balance.
• Dizziness. 
• Lightheadedness. 
• Nausea. 
• Ringing in the ears. 
• Feelings of fullness in the ears. 
• Uncontrollable eye movements. 

Vertigo is typically a symptom of an underlying medical issue. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of these issues. It often leads to vertigo when you move your head in certain ways. Other conditions that can also trigger vertigo include vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s disease and migraines. 

How can a Louisiana physical therapist help you with vertigo?

Physical therapists offer many treatment techniques that can help you address vertigo and the underlying condition that’s causing it. In fact, one of the main differences between physical therapy and other treatment options is that PT doesn’t just seek to treat your symptoms. Physical therapists can treat vertigo-causing conditions using techniques like: 

• Balance training — Vertigo can often be exacerbated by weakness in your muscles or decreased joint mobility. Physical therapists can help you address these issues with personalized balance training. Often, such plans include therapeutic exercises designed to strengthen relevant muscles. They can include other exercises that are intended to help improve joint mobility and function as well. 

• Canalith repositioning — BPPV is caused by out-of-place calcium carbonate crystals called canaliths. Physical therapists can use a technique called canalith repositioning to help reduce vertigo caused by BPPV. This technique has a success rate of more than 95% for BPPV when it’s performed by an experienced practitioner. 

Find a physical therapist who can help your vertigo at Rehab Access clinics in Louisiana

Ready to seek help for vertigo in a Louisiana physical therapy clinic? Our Rehab Access Physical Therapy team is ready and willing to help you find the care you need. We operate out of clinics in Gretna and Belle Chasse, Louisiana. Our physical therapists also offer free screenings that can help pinpoint the root cause of your vertigo, and they can build you a customized treatment plan to address it. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you deal with problems that make balancing harder or to schedule your initial appointment.