Dizziness, Vertigo and Balance

September 20, 2022

Dizziness, Vertigo or Balance Problems?

 

 

Dizziness is one of the most common health problems for adults. It is also quite common for it to be difficult to describe. Sensations can range from feeling light-headed, faint, woozy, giddy, unsteady, off-balance or weak. Vertigo is a type of dizziness that feels as though you or your surroundings are spinning.

Frustratingly symptoms may be constant or come and go and episodes can last from minutes to days.

However, by describing the symptoms of your particular experience of dizziness and the circumstances in which it occurs, is very helpful in reaching a diagnosis.

Dizziness is often caused by illnesses that affect the inner ear such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), migraine and inflammation of the inner ear balance apparatus (called vestibular neuritis).

A physio assessment will look into all systems that contribute to your problem from external stresses and events to internal mechanisms.

We will ask you about your medical history, including careful questioning about the nature of the dizziness.

Questions that may be asked can include details of your experience of any of the following symptoms:-

• unsteadiness, including finding it difficult to walk in a straight line
• light-headedness
• feeling faint
• headache
• nausea and vomiting
• fatigue
• ringing or other sounds in the ears (tinnitus)
• difficulty hearing
• staggering gait and loss of coordination (ataxia)
• unusual eye movements, such as flitting of the eyes (nystagmus)
• blurred vision
• finding it difficult to see clearly when moving, for example, when reading a sign while walking or driving
• difficulty concentrating

We will then follow with a physical examination, which may include observing eye movements, positional testing, a blood pressure check and balance testing.

Where indicated we may refer you on to a medical colleague or for CT or MRI scans of the inner ear or brain.

Vestibular rehabilitation is a physiotherapy program that includes balance activities and eye movement exercises, easily practised at home. The activities restore the best use of your vestibular function, vision, sensation in your feet and balance reactions to help maintain your balance.

Here at BWT we have highly specialised physios who can guide you through your personal vestibular rehabilitation programme.

Call BWT Physio on 01202749514 to talk to a physio.