November Newsletter
Is Your Head Spinning? How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Vertigo
Have you ever had a sudden sense that you’re spinning in place — even though you’re standing perfectly still? If so, then you’ve experienced vertigo, an unnerving sensation that often indicates an underlying issue with your vestibular system.
A single incident of vertigo probably isn’t anything to worry about, as the sensation isn’t typically harmful in and of itself. However, multiple vertigo attacks could indicate an underlying issue with your vestibular system, which helps manage your balance and spatial awareness. Frequent vertigo can also increase fall risk, leading to potential injury or hospitalization.
While vertigo can feel hallucinatory and strange, it is more often than not rooted in a physical issue — one that the physical therapists at ARC Physical Therapy can help address. Our team’s understanding of your body’s vestibular and balance systems ensures you can find the relief you need to live a full, healthy life.
Don’t let vertigo sweep you off your feet. Call us today to schedule an initial consultation!
Understanding Vertigo: What It Is, What It Feels Like, and What Causes It
Many people use the terms “vertigo” and “dizziness” interchangeably, but vertigo is a specific type of dizziness. Dizziness can refer to a range of sensations: wooziness, lightheadedness, etc. Vertigo refers to a particular sensation in which you feel like you or the space you’re in is spinning.
Vertigo is closely associated with your vestibular system, which is located in your inner ear (the peripheral vestibular system) and in your cerebellum (the central vestibular system). Most people with vertigo have an impairment in the peripheral vestibular system: the structures and canals of the inner ear.
What sort of impairments? Here are a few of the most common:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): The most common source of vertigo, this occurs when tiny crystals build up in the inner ear canal.
- Ménière’s Disease: This results from fluid buildup in your inner ear. In addition to vertigo, you might experience hearing loss or muffled hearing, tinnitus, and a sense of fullness in the ear.
- Labyrinthitis: This is an inner ear inflammation resulting from an infection.
It’s important to remember that vertigo isn’t really a condition in and of itself — it’s a symptom. If you can’t find an obvious inner ear issue that could be causing your vertigo, you may have central vertigo, vertigo that’s rooted in your cerebellum. The following can cause central vertigo:
- Stroke
- Migraines
- Vascular disease
- Traumatic brain injury
Our physical therapists will work with you and other providers, if needed, to determine the exact root of your vertigo attacks.
Physical Therapy’s Role in Treating Vertigo
Many people are surprised that physical therapy is a standard treatment for vertigo, but it’s true, especially if you have peripheral vertigo. Our therapists will blend several different treatments to help manage your vertigo attacks while working to improve your overall balance and stability.
1Vestibular rehabilitation
Vestibular rehabilitation is a specialized form of physical therapy that consists of exercises specifically designed to address issues with the vestibular system, including relaxation techniques, gaze stabilization exercises, and more.
2Repositioning maneuvers
Repositioning maneuvers help people with BPPV. We can dislodge the crystals causing your symptoms by positioning your head in certain ways.
3Balance training
Balance training is an integral part of any vertigo treatment plan. We’ll walk you through exercises designed to challenge — and improve — your overall balance, which helps reduce your fall risk.
4Conditioning programs
Conditioning programs are another important piece in the vertigo puzzle. Muscular weakness, particularly in the core, can contribute to balance issues; a tailored exercise program will help you build the strength you need to stay on your feet.
5Patient education
Finally, patient education ensures you understand the cause of your vertigo and have the tools you need to manage it. For example, we can help you identify and avoid vertigo triggers and provide strategies to make it through vertigo attacks.
Say Goodbye to Vertigo. Call ARC Physical Therapy Today!
Although it’s not life-threatening, vertigo can profoundly impact your overall quality of life. Many people with frequent vertigo are less likely to go out or participate in their favorite recreational activities for fear of an ill-timed attack. But our physical therapists can help control — and sometimes even resolve — your vertigo, ensuring you live a rich, active life.
Ready to learn more? Call to schedule an appointment today.
An In-Depth Look at Vestibular Rehabilitation
If you’re suffering from vertigo, you may have heard you could benefit from vestibular rehabilitation. But what is that, exactly? Let’s break it down.
Vestibular rehab focuses on addressing impairments in your vestibular system, which controls your body’s sense of balance and proprioception (your body’s awareness of itself in space). It mainly focuses on issues in your peripheral vestibular system: the structures and labyrinths in your inner ear that help keep you steady.
Like any good physical therapy program, a good vestibular rehabilitation program is designed around your symptoms, condition, and overall goals. The physical therapists at ARC Physical Therapy will work closely with you to create your own customized plan.
What Will We Include in a Vestibular Rehabilitation Program?
The aims of vestibular rehab are threefold. We want to help you:
- Improve your balance
- Improve your gaze stability
- Reduce your vertigo attacks
To accomplish these goals, we’ll pull from a blend of targeted vestibular exercises. These activities may not look like “traditional” physical therapy, but they’re all techniques proven to help manage vertigo and dizziness symptoms related to vestibular disorders. Here’s what you can expect:
1Habituation Exercises
We’ll help you “habituate” to your vertigo by working with you to identify movements that trigger an attack — and then have you perform those movements in a monitored environment. Over time, your symptoms can decrease.
2Relaxation Exercises
We’ll show you techniques to calm your body when you do experience a vertigo attack.
3Vision Exercises
Vision and vertigo often go hand in hand. By stabilizing your gaze, you can decrease vertigo attacks. These exercises include focusing and refocusing your gaze on a busy visual field, among others.
4Postural Exercises
These exercises address all aspects of your body’s balance systems (visual, sensory, and vestibular) to help challenge and improve your balance while reducing your fall risk.
Think You Might Benefit From Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Call us today to schedule an initial consultation!
Don’t Let Your Deductible Go to Waste This Year!
The end of the year is almost here, and for many patients, that means insurance deductibles and benefits are about to reset. If you’ve already met your deductible, your out-of-pocket costs for care may be lower for the rest of the year — but those benefits typically don’t roll over once the calendar flips to January.
If you’ve been putting off treatment for pain, an injury, or a nagging problem like vertigo or poor balance, now is the perfect time to get started. Our team can help you understand your coverage and make the most of the benefits you’ve already paid for. Holiday schedules fill up fast, so don’t wait!
Call ARC Physical Therapy today to request an appointment before the year ends.
Community Favorite
Thanks for Voting for Us!
Double Knees to Chest (Lower Back, Hips)
Start on your back with your knees bent. Slowly bring both knees to your chest. Grasp your knees. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat. 1 Set, 3 Reps.
Explore Fitness Options at the Medical Gym at ARC!
The Medical Gym at ARC offers a variety of workshops, small group training, one-on-one sessions, and monthly membership options! Check out our current schedule — with more to come, and lots of fun!
For more information, contact Alex Bohnstedt, exercise physiologist, at 630-326-8313 or by email at abohnstedt@arc-rehab.com.
Just for Fun
November Word Scramble
Unscramble the five November-themed words below. Type your answer and click Check, or click Reveal if you get stuck!
Solved: 0 of 5
Hint: What many of us feel around the table this month (8 letters)
Hint: Gathering the crops in fall (7 letters)
Hint: A popular pie flavor (7 letters)
Hint: The star of the Thanksgiving dinner (6 letters)
Hint: Being thankful and appreciative (9 letters)
Patient Success Story
Real Results, Real Recovery
“
This is my second time dealing with back pain. John helped me a lot the first time. This time I was much better after the first treatment! Will continue. Thanks John!
Staff Spotlight
Shannon E.
Physical Therapist
“I have been an employee with ARC for nearly 20 years. It has been enjoyable to see the practice grow and to be a part of that. I feel lucky to be employed by a company that truly cares for their patients’ treatment and their overall wellbeing. I have very much enjoyed the interaction with the patients. It is a beautiful thing to witness a patient begin to feel better after beginning treatment. Family is very important to me. I enjoy spending time with my 3 children, husband, and our fur babies. Being outdoors, whether it be camping, hiking, or going for a bike ride is when I am most in my element.”
