Experiencing vertigo can be deeply unsettling. One moment, everything feels fine. The next, the room is spinning wildly around you, even though you’re standing still. Worse, vertigo causes intense feelings of instability and can impact your balance, making it harder for you to go out and live your life.
Fortunately, you can find relief with the team at Fairfield Universal Therapy. We’ll help you understand what triggers your vertigo so we can create a personalized treatment program to help you regain control, reduce symptoms, and restore your quality of life.
Today, we want to explore some common vertigo causes and share information about vestibular rehabilitation, a specialized form of therapy that addresses vertigo symptoms at their root. Keep reading to learn more!
An In-Depth Look at Vertigo Causes
Understanding vertigo means understanding the vestibular system, which is the system in your body that controls your sense of balance and spatial orientation. It has two parts: the central vestibular system is located in your cerebellum, and the peripheral vestibular system is located in your inner ear and sends messages to the central vestibular system.
Vertigo typically develops when issues with the inner ear interfere with the peripheral vestibular system, leading to the sensation of dizziness or spinning. But what causes that interference in the first place? Here are a few of the more common reasons:
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- This is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when small calcium crystals in your inner ear can become dislodged and prevent your vestibular system from working properly.
Vestibular Neuritis
- This inner ear infection inflames the vestibular nerve, leading to sudden, intense vertigo episodes.
Meniere’s Disease
- This condition causes excess fluid buildup in the inner ear, which can create a sense of pressure and lead to vertigo, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears.
Head Trauma or Injury
- Sometimes, head injuries, like a concussion, can disrupt the vestibular system, leading to ongoing balance issues, including vertigo.
Finding Vertigo Relief with Physical Therapy
Many people are surprised to learn that physical therapy can help manage vertigo–but it’s true! Our team will create a customized vestibular rehabilitation program designed to improve balance and reduce vertigo by retraining the brain to adjust to signals from the inner ear. We’ll accomplish this by targeting specific symptoms through a variety of proven techniques, such as the following:
Habituation Exercises
- We’ll help you identify movements or positions that trigger your vertigo and repeatedly expose you to them in a monitored, controlled environment. Over time, your sensitivity to these triggers will reduce, relieving your symptoms.
Gaze Stabilization Exercises
- These exercises help improve eye movement control and reduce vertigo during head movements. They train your eyes to focus on a target while moving your head, helping your brain recalibrate balance signals.
Balance Training
- Balance training focuses on strengthening your ability to stay steady. We’ll guide you through personalized balance challenges to help improve your overall stability.
Core Strengthening Exercises
- These exercises target your back, glute, oblique, and deep abdominal muscles, providing added stability to your spine and reducing stress on your vestibular system.
Find Relief from Vertigo Today!
Understanding vertigo causes is the first step in effective treatment, and the Fairfield Universal Therapy team is highly knowledgeable about the vestibular system and the ways it can be disrupted! Schedule an appointment at our Fairfield, IA clinic today for your personalized vestibular rehabilitation program.
