The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role in helping us maintain balance and orientation. When this system is affected by conditions such as infections, trauma, autoimmune disorders, or sometimes even unknown causes, it can lead to vestibular dysfunction. The symptoms of a vestibular disorder can vary, but common ones include nausea, dizziness, vertigo (a spinning sensation), blurry vision, difficulty focusing, mental fog, imbalance, and an increased risk of falls.
Vestibular rehabilitation is a specialized type of physical therapy designed to address the challenges caused by vestibular disorders. Its primary goal is to alleviate symptoms like vertigo, dizziness, gaze instability, and imbalance.
Physical therapists who specialize in vestibular rehabilitation use evidence-based, exercise-driven programs to help reduce symptoms and improve stability. These programs focus on exercises that promote balance, reduce dizziness, improve gaze control, and ultimately help patients regain confidence in their movement and daily activities.
Vertigo can sometimes be caused by small calcium crystals, known as otoconia or canaliths, which shift out of place in the inner ear. This misplacement can trigger the sensation of the room spinning, especially when changing head positions—like rolling over in bed or bending down to lift something. This type of vertigo is known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).
Yes, absolutely!
The key to reducing symptoms of vertigo lies in teaching patients how to rely on other sensory systems to maintain balance. In technical terms, this is referred to as using compensatory strategies.
At Asara Physical Therapy and Balance Clinic, physical therapists focus on four main approaches to help patients manage and improve their vertigo symptoms:
With these approaches, our goal is to help you regain control over your balance and reduce vertigo symptoms, so you can live a more confident, stable life.
The Canalith Repositioning Procedure (also called the Canalith Repositioning Maneuver) is the primary treatment for BPPV. In our inner ears, we have small calcium crystals attached to the otolith membrane in the utricle (part of the vestibular system). These crystals can become dislodged or move out of place due to trauma, infection, aging, or sometimes for no clear reason. When the head moves, the crystals shift, causing a sensation of the room spinning.
Physical therapists who specialize in vestibular rehabilitation use eye movement tracking to pinpoint where the crystals are displaced. By observing eye movements as the patient changes head positions, we can identify which canal the crystals have moved into.
At Asara Physical Therapy & Balance Clinic, we utilize advanced Infrared Video Frenzel Glasses to track eye movements with precision. These goggles magnify and replay the movements, allowing us to diagnose with greater accuracy.
The treatment involves guiding the patient’s head into specific positions to use gravity to move the displaced crystals back into their proper location in the utricle. By repositioning the crystals, we can significantly reduce the vertigo symptoms patients experience when changing head positions.
The success of the procedure is confirmed by monitoring eye movement stability with the infrared goggles and reassessing the patient through the same head positions. Canalith Repositioning Procedure has an approximate success rate of 80%, offering significant relief for many patients dealing with vertigo.
For patients who need more than one attempt to reposition the crystals, our physical therapists at Asara Physical Therapy & Balance Clinic also teach patients how to perform the repositioning maneuver at home. These home exercises are a key part of the treatment plan and can significantly improve the success rate of managing BPPV.
Research shows that practicing these home maneuvers can reduce the likelihood of vertigo recurrence by up to 67%. This means that not only does it help treat the current symptoms, but it also provides lasting benefits by preventing future episodes.
As you can see, an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific condition are crucial for the best results. By working together, we can help you manage and overcome vertigo effectively.
Dizziness and motion sensitivity can be caused by abnormalities in the vestibular system. This can lead to discomfort with head movements or simple actions like rolling over in bed, turning, bending down, or even looking up. These movements can trigger feelings of dizziness or a sense of imbalance.
At Asara Physical Therapy & Balance Clinic, our physical therapists take the time to identify which specific movements cause these symptoms. With this understanding, we design personalized habituation exercises that target those movements and gently help reduce dizziness.
The goal of these exercises is to provoke mild dizziness at first, which may sound counterintuitive but is actually part of the healing process. Over time, as you continue practicing, your brain becomes better at filtering out the abnormal signals from the vestibular system. This allows you to experience less frequent or less intense dizziness with each movement.
It’s important to note that full resolution of symptoms is necessary before progressing to more advanced exercises. This ensures that your vestibular system has the time it needs to recover and adapt fully.
At Asara Physical Therapy, we’re here to support you every step of the way, helping you regain your balance and live life without the limitations of dizziness.
For individuals with vestibular disorders, simple tasks like reading or navigating busy environments can become challenging. Patients often report experiencing blurriness or a sensation of the environment “jumping” when moving their head, especially while walking or performing everyday activities like climbing stairs or standing.
This issue arises because the vestibular system is not functioning as efficiently as it should, leading to difficulties in maintaining stable vision during movement. The good news is that exercises designed to improve gaze stability can help significantly.
At Asara Physical Therapy & Balance Clinic, our physical therapists tailor specific activities to meet the unique needs of each patient, depending on the extent of vestibular loss. Through carefully guided exercises, we work to strengthen your ability to maintain clear vision and stability, even while on the move.
We’re here to support you in regaining control over your balance and clarity, helping you enjoy everyday activities with confidence.
When both vestibular organs are affected, it can significantly impact your balance and sense of equilibrium. The good news is that with the right treatment, you can still regain stability and confidence in your daily activities.
At Asara Physical Therapy & Balance Clinic, our approach focuses on teaching you substitution exercises. These exercises are designed to engage other sensory systems—like your visual system, somatosensory system (which helps you sense your body's position), and muscular system—to help maintain balance and prevent dizziness.
Our caring team will guide you through personalized exercises, helping you use these alternative systems to support your balance while your vestibular system works to recover. We are here to help you feel more stable, safe, and confident as you regain control of your balance.