Are you losing your balance and you do not know why? This can be frightening and significantly increases your falls and injury risk. It can also negatively impact your ability to go about your normal day and continue the tasks and activities you usually do, which may affect many facets of your life such as your productivity, health and wellness, and mental health.
Issues with balance can develop for a broad array of reasons. A common cause of balance disorders is a problem with the vestibular system, which is pivotal to maintaining stability when stationary, changing body and head positions, lying down, and rolling over. The good news is that there are highly qualified health professionals who can identify the underlying cause of symptoms, diagnose vestibular balance disorders, and create a tailored treatment plan with the aim of improving or resolving the issue.
If you are experiencing problems with your balance or have been diagnosed with a vestibular balance disorder, vestibular balance rehabilitation therapy may be a beneficial pathway towards relief. Learn more about vestibular physiotherapy and how we may be able to help by reading on.
What are Vestibular Balance Disorders?
It is important to identify the root cause of your balance issues to be able to appropriately target the issue and improve your symptoms and overall quality of life. Imbalance can result from various symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo. These symptoms may develop because of a problem with the vestibular system or due to other underlying factors. Instability may also be directly linked to your body’s inability to process certain messages. The vestibular system is an important mechanism that controls your sense of balance during movement by interpreting incoming signals to provide your brain and body with information so they can react appropriately.
Alongside feeling off-balance and an increased risk of falls, vestibular balance disorders may cause symptoms such as the following:
- A sensation that feels as if your environment is spinning
- Feeling as if you are floating, rocking, bobbing, swaying or tilting
- Blurry vision
- Being disoriented
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Anxiety
Causes of Vestibular Balance Disorders
There is a range of causes for disorders that relate to the vestibular system. These can affect people in different ways and to varying degrees. Some of these disorders, which may benefit from therapy delivered by qualified vestibular physiotherapists, include:
- Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis
- Vestibular Migraine
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Meniere’s Disease
- Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
- Mal De Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS)
Balance problems/Dizziness may also come about due to certain injuries or medical conditions, such as:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Cerebellar Ataxia
- Cardiovascular problems (such as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)
- Anxiety
- Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED)
- Ototoxicity
- Acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma
- Age-related changes
Treatment for Vestibular Balance Disorders
When you begin treatment for a vestibular balance disorder or related symptoms, your Vestibular Physiotherapist will undertake a thorough physical assessment. This will be alongside a comprehensive discussion with you regarding your relevant medical history, symptoms, and needs. After the issue is identified, your Vestibular Physiotherapist will develop a personalized treatment plan that targets your symptoms and underlying causes and helps you work towards your target outcomes. The frequency and length of treatment will depend on your symptoms and the cause. Certain cases may resolve in a couple of sessions, others may require ongoing treatment as well as at-home exercises and strategies.
Depending on your requirements, your tailored treatment plan may involve methods such as:
- Vestibular rehabilitation, such as gaze stabilization exercises, habituation exercises, and balance exercises.
- Canalith Repositioning manoeuvres, which aim to reposition particles in the semicircular canals in your ears to treat Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).
- Education regarding your condition.
- Prescription of supplements as appropriate.
- Referring you to a doctor such as a Neuro-Otologist for Medication if required such as in the case of Vestibular Migraine or Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS).
Comprehensive Rehabilitation Therapy for Vestibular Balance Disorders
Balance disorders and related symptoms are prevalent and disruptive to everyday life. Our Vestibular Physiotherapists have specific training and experience to qualify them to treat vestibular balance disorders and aim to provide you with high quality services to help you towards your target outcomes.
If you or a family member are experiencing issues, please contact our friendly team to organise an initial consultation. At The Vertigo Co, we provide care to anyone aged eight years and above for a broad array of issues and underlying factors. We look forward to meeting and supporting you.
