Vertigo is a word used to describe a condition in which your surroundings feel like they’re moving. You might experience the sensation of spinning, whirling, tipping, or imbalance. It’s also common for people with vertigo to feel queasy or nauseous, as well. Vertigo is a very common condition–around 30% of people suffer from vertigo at least once–and it’s especially common among emergency patients.
People often wonder if physical therapy–rehabilitation used to treat problems related with functional mobility–can be an effective form of vertigo treatment. And, the answer is yes! In this short post, learn more about what vertigo is and how it’s caused, and find out how physical therapy can be used to effectively treat it.
What is Vertigo?
Vertigo is the feeling that the world around you is moving when it isn’t. Vertigo sufferers often experience:
- Unusual eye movement
- Dizziness and spinning sensation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
It can be crippling and disturb the sufferer’s daily routine quite a bit.
It is difficult to recover from vertigo and usually becomes worse when the person moves his or her head. It is also difficult to prevent, as vertigo is an inner-ear problem that interferes with the body’s ability to balance correctly.
For people who suffer only from short episodes of vertigo, it can last for about a minute or less at a time and can interfere with normal activities. However, there are many other conditions which can cause vertigo attacks that last for extended periods of time.
Are you experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms? Contact us today for professional vertigo treatment in Schertz!
What causes vertigo?
Because vertigo is used to describe a collection of symptoms, there are many different conditions that can cause it.
Most people who have vertigo have a condition called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Dizziness begins when calcium crystals that maintain balance in the inner ear fall off and cause a reaction. More serious dizziness can occur when illness or injury damages the vestibular system.
Other common conditions that can lead to balance issues include:
Heart Disease
Heart problems can damage any part of your body, but the head and brain are especially vulnerable. Since your brain is connected directly to the nervous system, a shock such as a stroke can throw off the balance center in your inner ear.
Brain Tumors
Tumors grow too quickly to control and, when they run out of room to grow, begin to attack your organs, including your brain. Tumors are persistent and will grow into whatever space they can. Their growth can interfere with normal functions, including balance.
Meniere’s disease
This disease occurs when inner-ear fluid overflows and damages other parts of the ear. The fluid hurts tissues related to balance and they become unable to work normally. Meniere’s disease occurs in people who have ear infections, use lots of painkillers, smoke, or drink too much alcohol.
Labyrinthitis
The tissue in the inner ear is sensitive and, due to viral infection, can become irritated and stop the balance center from doing its job. Sufferers feel dizzy and off-balance not only because the tissue is inflamed but also because the body is busy fighting off the infection.
Head Injuries
Even damage from outside the body can lead to a loss of balance. Vehicle accidents such as car or bike accidents can sometimes lead to troublesome issues such as concussions and whiplash that can jar the crystals and fluid in the inner ear. Brain damage can also cause the inner-ear to overcompensate for mixed signals from the brain.
How Physical Therapy Can Treat Vertigo
There are many ways in which physical therapy can combat and alleviate both the symptoms and causes of vertigo. In fact, specific physical therapy techniques have been created to combat the very balance problems which can cause vertigo. One of the most effective types of physical therapy is vestibular rehabilitation therapy, or VRT, a technique designed to speed up the process of compensating for a damaged balance center.
Those undergoing VRT vertigo treatment utilize the power of exercise to help the body understand how to use its other systems to correct balance problems. For many people, VRT is often enough to successfully treat vertigo. For others, more treatment may be needed.
Keep in mind: physical therapy is an intensive process. Symptoms may seem to worsen at first, but without challenging the body to learn new ways to balance, it can’t improve. Fortunately, by forcing the brain to consistently respond to novel inputs, it will gradually develop new pathways and neural connections that will make “re-learning how to balance” easier over time. This is why we recommend at-home exercises–in combination with our professional vertigo treatment in Schertz–to reinforce what the brain learns in our therapy sessions.
At home exercises to supplement your vertigo treatment may therapy include:
- Assisted head movement
- Assisted walking
- Maneuvering practice
Get Vertigo Treatment in Schertz Today!
No matter the cause, vertigo symptoms like dizziness and nausea can really bring your life to a screeching halt. Fortunately, most balance problems and vertigo symptoms can be solved with the help of an experienced physical therapist. At Schertz Physical Therapy – Biomotion PT, we’ll take a holistic approach to combating your vertigo symptoms. Prior to treatment, we’ll conduct a thorough assessment and review your medical history to determine what’s causing your vertigo, and follow up with a custom vertigo treatment program designed to combat it.
Are you experiencing vertigo symptoms?
Contact us today to schedule your vertigo treatment consultation and to find out how Schertz Physical Therapy – Biomotion PT can improve your condition.
