Vertigo Adelaide
VERTIGO & DIZZINESS
Dizziness is a sensation or feeling like you or your surroundings are spinning. This is commonly caused by a problem in the inner ear where the apparatus and nerves exist that sense our body’s position.
Common causes of dizziness include:
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
- Vestibular Neuritis (inflammation of the inner ear)
- Migraine
- Low Blood Pressure
HOW DOES THE INNER EAR WORK?
The inner ear (deep beneath each ear) is made up of a series of canals filled with fluid. Nerves detect movement of the fluid in the canals as the head moves. This information is sent to the brain where it is analysed and tells us the direction of our heads movement so that we can adjust our eyes and body accordingly.
When our inner ear works properly we can move our head and our vision accommodates so we can see correctly and our body feels and stays balanced. When our inner ear is not working well we get dizzy and lose our balance.
SYMPTOMS OF VERTIGO
People suffering from Vertigo typically describe it as feeling like we are:
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Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:
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Symptoms can last a few minutes to a few hours and may come and go.
ASSESSING DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO
When a patient first attends the clinic a thorough assessment is undertaken which includes:
Full verbal history about:
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Physical examination including:
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You do not need a Medical referral to see a Physiotherapist however if you have and have undertaken any testing, please bring those results with you to your first appointment.
BPPV
WHAT IS BPPV
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of Vertigo. BPPV is a condition where crystals in the inner ear come loose and clump together in the canals. This affects the ability of the inner ear to correctly sense the movement of our head and as a result when our head only moves slightly we perceive this incorrectly and experience dizziness or vertigo as a result.
We are able to specifically assess the part of the inner ear where BPPV is coming from to ensure our treatment is targeted and more effective.
TREATING BPPV
In order to treat BPPV effectively, we need to correctly assess the exact location of the clumping crystals in the canals. We do this by performing a number of controlled tests where posture and head position is adjusted and the effects on the eyes are closely observed.
Once this is determined specific Head Position Maneuvers are performed that move the crystals into their correct position within the inner ear where they do not alter our sense of balance. These techniques are usually effective in one or two treatments.
VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION
In some cases those suffering from long periods of Vertigo may require rehabilitation of the vestibular system. The aims of vestibular rehabilitation are to:
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Vestibular rehabilitation involves a progression of exercises to ‘retrain’ the nervous system.
These include:
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WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
Your first appointment will be a thorough examination as well as treatment. In order to help us understand your problem please bring:
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NO GP REFERRAL NEEDED
References
Power Laura, Murray Katherine, Szmulewicz David J. Characteristics of assessment and treatment in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) 08 April 2020
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of people will suffer from back pain at least once in their life. In any given year 1 in 6 Australians (16%) will experience debilitating back pain. ABS 2019
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patients attended Physio Group Exercise
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NDIS appointments at Core Physio