Feeling Dizzy or Unsteady? Learn About Vestibular Physiotherapy in Chestermere

Feeling Dizzy or Unsteady? Learn About Vestibular Physiotherapy in Chestermere

Feeling off balance can be unsettling and impact your daily life in many ways. If you’ve been experiencing dizziness, unsteadiness, or that spinning sensation known as vertigo, you’re not alone, and there is effective help available. Vantage Integrative Health + Wellness, located in Chestermere, offers specialized vestibular physiotherapy designed to address these symptoms and restore your balance and confidence.

What Is Vestibular Physiotherapy?

Vestibular physiotherapy, also known as vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT), is a targeted form of physiotherapy that helps individuals experiencing dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders. The vestibular system, found in the inner ear and closely linked to the brain, is essential for controlling balance and sensing your body’s position in space. When this system is disrupted, due to injury, illness, or other causes, it can lead to feelings of being off balance or dizzy.

Vestibular physiotherapy uses customized exercises and techniques to retrain your brain and body to compensate for vestibular dysfunction. These exercises are designed to enhance eye coordination, posture, and balance, allowing your brain to gradually adjust and lessen symptoms like dizziness and unsteadiness. This therapy is gentle but requires consistent effort, much like exercising any other part of your body to regain strength and coordination.

Common Causes of Feeling Off Balance

Several factors can cause imbalance or dizziness, and understanding these can help you identify if vestibular physiotherapy might be right for you:

·       Inner Ear Disorders: Conditions such as infections, fluid buildup, or Meniere’s disease affect the vestibular organs in the inner ear, disrupting the balance signals sent to the brain.

·       Circulation Problems: Changes in blood pressure can affect blood flow to the brain, often resulting in feelings of dizziness or a sense of imbalance.

·       Neurological Conditions: Diseases like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis can impair coordination and balance.

·       Head or Neck Injuries: Past trauma, including concussions, may result in long-term balance challenges.

Other causes include dehydration, medication side effects, pregnancy-related changes, and viral infections that temporarily affect the inner ear.

When Should You Seek Vestibular Physiotherapy?

If you experience persistent dizziness, vertigo, or unsteadiness that interferes with your daily activities, it’s time to consider vestibular physiotherapy. Especially if symptoms last more than a few days or worsen with movement, seeking professional assessment is crucial. Early intervention can prevent symptoms from becoming chronic and improve your quality of life.

Who Should Perform Vestibular Physiotherapy?

Vestibular physiotherapy should be conducted by a physiotherapist specially trained in vestibular disorders. At Vantage Integrative Health + Wellness in Chestermere, our experienced therapists perform thorough assessments to diagnose the specific vestibular issue and design a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs.

What Does Vestibular Physiotherapy Involve?

Your vestibular physiotherapy journey begins with a comprehensive evaluation, including tests of your balance, eye movements, coordination, and posture. Based on your assessment, your therapist will create a personalized exercise plan that may include:

·       Gaze Stabilization Exercises: Designed to improve eye movement control, these exercises help reduce dizziness during head movements by training your eyes and brain to work together more effectively.

·       Balance Retraining: Exercises that enhance your ability to maintain stability during various activities.

·       Habituation Exercises: These involve repeated, controlled exposure to specific movements or environments that trigger your symptoms, helping your brain become less sensitive to them over time.

You will be guided to perform these exercises regularly, often several times a day, to encourage your brain’s natural ability to adapt and compensate for vestibular dysfunction. While symptoms may initially feel more intense during exercises, this is a sign of effective stimulation and will improve with time.

How Does Vestibular Physiotherapy Help?

Vestibular physiotherapy helps by promoting the brain’s ability to adjust to changes or damage in the vestibular system. This leads to reduced dizziness, improved balance, better visual focus, and increased confidence in daily activities. Many patients find they regain energy and can return to normal life without the limitations caused by imbalance or vertigo.

Beyond vestibular care, Vantage Integrative Health + Wellness offers a range of complementary therapies that support your overall health and recovery, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, active release technique, custom foot orthotics, intramuscular stimulation, kinesiology taping, massage therapy, spinal decompression, shockwave therapy, and more.

This integrative approach ensures that your treatment is comprehensive, addressing not only your vestibular symptoms but also enhancing your overall physical well-being.

If you’ve been feeling off balance and want to reclaim your stability and quality of life, don’t wait. Contact Vantage Integrative Health + Wellness in Chestermere today to schedule an assessment and start your journey toward better balance with expert vestibular physiotherapy. Your path to steadiness and confidence begins here.