Do you get a feeling of dizziness or vertigo when you get in/out of bed? How about when you are walking/driving and turn your head? Or rolling over in bed? If any of these activities cause dizziness, you may have a disturbance in the organs of your inner ear.
What Happened?
Inside our ears, there are small organs with a series of canals. Inside these canals are crystals surrounded by fluid. The organs in your inner ear recognize where the crystals are in the canals based on what position your head is in. They then transfer this information to your brain which is incorporated and used to assist with balance.
Sometimes, these crystals can get caught in the canal and become stuck. For example, if the canals and crystals are working properly on the right side, but there are some crystals stuck in the canals on the left, your brain will receive mixed signals from the organs producing that dizziness, nauseous, and/or vertigo feeling.
Can This Be Fixed?
The short answer is yes. At physical therapy, we are able to assess what canal the crystals are stuck in, and perform a canalith repositioning maneuver to help release the stuck crystals and help relieve symptoms. Along with the maneuver, we will prescribe a series of exercises to assist in training your body to maximize balance and reduce the effects of dizziness. Many of the exercises will revolve around balance as that is most impacted with a disorder of the inner ear (Hall, 2022).
How Do I Start?
If you experience or have experienced dizziness or vertigo with common head movements, contact the Respire PT Team today by phone at 703-671-1871 or click here to request an appointment with a Physical Therapist. Let us help you get back to your favorite activities without being slowed down by vertigo.
References
- Hall, Courtney D. PT, PhD; Herdman, Susan J. PT, PhD, FAPTA; Whitney, Susan L. DPT, PhD, NCS, ATC, FAPTA; Anson, Eric R. PT, PhD; Carender, Wendy J. PT, MPT, NCS; Hoppes, Carrie W. PT, PhD, NCS, OCS, ATC. Treatment of Vestibular Disorders (Inner Ear Balance Problems): How Does Your Physical Therapist Treat Dizziness Related to Inner Ear Balance Problems?. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy 46(2):p 178-179, April 2022. | DOI: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000385
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