I’m Dizzy Again—Treatment Recommendations for Dizziness
We’re all familiar with the benefits of physical therapy after surgery, when recovering from a sports injury, or when helping you gain the mobility and strength to get down on the floor to play with your grandkids.
But have you ever considered seeing a physical therapist for dizziness treatment?
Here’s everything you need to know about how working with a vestibular physical therapist who specializes in treatment for dizziness can help you get back to normal life.
What are the symptoms associated with dizziness?
Physical therapists are uniquely trained to evaluate, differentially diagnose, and treat many causes of dizziness. Common symptoms evaluated and successfully treated by a physical therapist include:
- Vertigo (sensation that the room is spinning about you)
- Lightheadedness or a floating sensation
- Feeling off balance
- Difficulty keeping words in focus when reading
- Difficulty walking a straight line
- Any time my neck hurts, I get dizzy!
What conditions can cause dizziness?
A physical therapist is a critical and trusted member of your healthcare team that is essential for accurate diagnosis and optimal recovery from a number of diagnoses commonly associated with dizziness. Listed below are just a few of the common diagnoses that your physical therapist can help with:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Meniere’s Disease
- Post-Concussion Dizziness
- Post-Motor Vehicle Accident Dizziness
- Vestibular Neuritis
- Labyrinthitis
- Cervicogenic Dizziness (related to your neck)
- And more
How can a physical therapist treat my dizziness?
After a thorough hands-on evaluation and consultation with your healthcare team your physical therapist will develop a complete plan of care to help you understand and overcome your dizziness. Treatment techniques for dizziness utilized by your physical therapist may include:
- Corrective Maneuvers for BPPV (i.e. Epley Maneuver, BBQ Roll, Semont Maneuver, etc.)
- Habituation Exercises
- Manual Therapy (hands on treatment)
- Postural Correction Techniques
- Balance and Gait Training
- Mobility and Stability Exercises
- Work and home-related ergonomic recommendations
- Education to help you understand your dizziness
The exercises your physical therapist will prescribe will provide a variety of benefits to help with your inner ear or neck-related dizziness. The exercises can help to even out the signal between the two sides of your inner ear, they can help you readjust to the visual blurriness when you turn your head or walk, they can improve your balance and can even help to stabilize your neck to keep certain types of dizziness from coming on!
Conclusion
The next time you experience dizziness, know that you can trust your physical therapist.
Physical therapists who specialize in treatment for dizziness can be the best way to assess your symptoms, receive personalized care, and get back to life without dizziness. At MovementX, we’re able to get you a same-day appointment as soon as any symptoms begin, making diagnosis and treatment quick and effective.
Sign up today to get started with care.
About the Author
Dr. Fred Gilbert is a physical therapist in Washington, DC and Chief People Officer at MovementX. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics and certified in dry needling treatment. Fred Gilbert believes in a health care world beyond the walls of a clinic or restraints of an insurance company. Movement is the gateway to how we experience life, and he enjoys helping people move well and achieve their biggest health goals.
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