Vertigo is usually described by patients as a feeling of the “room spinning around them”, a feeling of “waviness”, sometimes “light headedness”, “nausea”, or a feeling of “imbalance”. There are many different individualized descriptions of symptoms.
Common hallmark signs of vertigo are:
- Symptoms are often brought on by the same movement (i.e. rolling in bed, turning the head, bending over)
- Symptoms are often brought on by the same activity (i.e. reading, driving, getting out of bed, picking up objects from the floor)
- Symptoms can last anywhere from 30 secs – 24 hrs
- Symptoms can usually be made to improve after time or after changing positions
- Patients have increased falls or loss of balance
Common diagnoses associated with vertigo:
- BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)
- Cervicogenic vertigo
- Central vertigo
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Vestibular ocular dysfunction
- Vestibular hypofunction
Common treatments
- Relocation of semicircular canal crystals
- Working on static and dynamic balance
- Desensitization of vertigo symptoms
- Improving proprioception
- Improving vestibular ocular reflect
- Learning compensatory actions
Our Dr. of Physical Therapy will perform a thorough evaluation to determine what is the cause of your vertigo symptoms. You will be educated on the cause of your symptoms and given a prognosis. You will be taught home exercises throughout your treatment to be used should your symptoms return in the future.
