Have you ever had the sensation that the room was spinning and you didn’t just come off of a rollercoaster? That sensation is called vertigo. Vertigo can be classified as the room spinning or if you feel like you are spinning.
Why does this happen?
There are several causes of vertigo some of which are related to issues of the brain and others that have to do with your inner ear. Your brain is the hierarchy of balance and your brain is connected to your inner ear via a nerve. When something goes wrong with parts of the brain or inner ear it can cause lightheadedness, balance issues, and nausea in addition to vertigo.
How can you tell if the symptom of vertigo is a serious issue?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does vertigo occur when you change the position of your head and/or body?
- Does it last a few seconds to a minute or does it last for hours?
- Do you have tinnitus or hearing loss?
- Are you having other symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, numbness on one side of the face and/or body?
- Does the vertigo come and go with eventual resolution, or has it gotten progressively worse?
If you answered “yes” to the first three and the vertigo comes and goes then you likely have an inner ear problem.
How to Treat Vertigo
The most common cause of vertigo can easily be handled by a Vestibular Therapist with reduced and/or eliminated symptoms after a few visits. A thorough evaluation can identify the cause of the vertigo and a plan can be initiated. A vestibular therapist can also identify if the issue is not inner ear related and refer you to the proper specialist. What are the kinds of treatments you can expect with an inner ear issue?
- Eye exercises
- Balance exercises
- Repositioning maneuver if the diagnosis is positional vertigo
- Diet modifications
- Motion sensitivity exercises
This is something you don’t need to suffer from and get piece of mind that it is something that can be treated without medication!
By Devin Wurman, DPT
Call us today at 703-450-4300 so that we can start to get you back to doing the things you love!
CLICK HERE for more information!
