Dizziness can be an awful and uncomfortable condition that can stop you in your tracks. It can impact your confidence, balance, and ability to complete day-to-day tasks—but it doesn’t have to. Physiotherapy can help treat your dizziness using evidence-based treatments.
Vestibular rehabilitation is an often-unknown service provided by physiotherapists. Physiotherapists can conduct thorough vestibular assessments to help determine the cause of someone’s dizziness.
There are many different causes of dizziness. Some dizziness appears suddenly as an acute episode, while other forms accompany longer-term conditions. Dizziness can also be a sign of something more serious that requires urgent medical attention, and this should not be overlooked.
A trained physiotherapist can help triage a client who presents with dizziness in both hospital and private practice settings. Following their vestibular assessment, they may be able to treat some conditions quickly and provide immediate relief. If the cause of dizziness is more concerning, they will refer you to the appropriate healthcare professional.
The cause of dizziness can vary widely. Some people may only ever experience a brief episode of vertigo, while others may have symptoms that come and go over many years. Some common causes of dizziness include:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Vestibular neuritis
- Ménière’s disease
- Vestibular labyrinthitis
- Vestibular hypofunction
- Vestibular migraine
- Cervicogenic (neck-related) dizziness
Other non-vestibular causes include:
- Postural hypotension
- Syncope (fainting)
- Certain cardiac conditions
- Anxiety
- Medication side effects
If you develop dizziness or have been struggling with vertigo, seeing a physiotherapist is an excellent first step to determine the most appropriate action.
So how can physiotherapy help treat dizziness?
Repositioning Manoeuvres
If you are suffering from BPPV, physiotherapy can be used to assess and immediately treat this using specific repositioning manoeuvres. The most common is the Epley manoeuvre, which involves a series of guided head and body movements. If you require ongoing management, your physiotherapist can also teach you techniques to perform at home.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Vestibular rehabilitation is tailored to your symptoms and may involve exercises such as:
- Gaze-stability exercises
- Habituation exercises
- Balance training
These exercises help stabilise the vestibular system and encourage more appropriate responses to specific movements or activities.
Head and Neck Treatment
This may involve hands-on manual therapy to address structures in the neck that could be contributing to your dizziness. This is often followed by exercises to maintain these improvements and help prevent future episodes.
Education
Education is a vital part of treatment and long-term management. Understanding your condition and the factors that may trigger symptoms helps you regain confidence. Your physiotherapist will also explain how other health professionals may assist, so you can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach.
Next time you have a friend or family member struggling with dizziness, ask if they’ve seen a physiotherapist. And if you find yourself suffering through a dizzy episode, don’t wait to see if it improves on its own. Physiotherapy can be most effective in the initial intense phase and can help reduce the duration and severity of your symptoms. If you are unsure whether a physio can help, remember that physiotherapists will assess and guide you to the appropriate health professional if needed.
If you need support for yourself or a loved one, book online or call us at Back in Motion Balnarring on 5983 1021 to see how we can help.