How Can Physical Therapy Help To Reduce My Dizziness?

May 2, 2022

Do you ever experience dizzy spells, feel like the room is spinning or experience difficulty trying to keep your body upright? If you’ve ever experienced these sensations you know just how unsettling it is. Turns out, you’re not alone.

About 20-56% of adults experience some type of dizziness each year. Yet so many are unaware of all the ways physical therapy can help!

Physical Therapists are extensively trained to help examine and determine the source of your dizziness. There are several potential causes of dizziness. The following are just a few common causes of reported dizziness.

Vestibular
1. Patients report varying symptoms from dizziness to room spinning, unsteady, inability to focus, and/or nauseous
2. Potential causes include Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), vestibular hypofunction, vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s Disease, Labyrinthitis
Orthopedic
1. Patients report varying symptoms from dizziness, headaches, and/or sensitivity to light
2. Potential causes include cervicogenic headaches, migraines, concussion, post-concussion syndrome, whiplash
Cerebrovascular
1. Patients report feeling faint, episodes of passing out often due to lack of oxygen being delivered to the brain
2. Potential causes include orthostatic hypotension or arrhythmias
Metabolic
1. Potential causes include hypoglycemia, anemia, diabetes mellitus or thyroid dysfunction
Neurological
1. Patients can report dizziness, frequent loss of balance, difficulty walking steady
2. Potential causes include Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
Psychosocial
1. Patients may experience dizziness, headaches, muscle tension, chronic fatigue
2. Anxiety, stress, medication

HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP?

Physical therapists will begin with a comprehensive evaluation to help determine the cause of your dizziness and which treatment will be optimal for your individual condition.

Many treatment techniques overlap regardless of the cause of dizziness. Physical therapists implement various interventions to help dissipate your symptoms, improve your daily functional abilities and work with you to meet your specific individualized goals. Physical therapy interventions can include a number of these methods:

Coordination Training
Repositioning Maneuvers
Habituation exercises
Gaze stabilization exercises
Eye movement control
Dual Tasking
Balance Training
Soft tissue mobilization
Manual therapy techniques

If you’d like to tackle your dizziness and return to optimal functioning, contact us today and book an appointment with physical therapist in Bellevue, Edmonds, Fremont, First Hill, Magnolia or Issaquah.

Sources:

Teggi R, Manfrin M, Balzanelli C, et al. Point prevalence of vertigo and dizziness in a sample of 2672 subjects and correlation with headaches. Prevalenza dei sintomi vertigine e instabilità in un campione di 2672 soggetti e correlazione con il sintomo cefalea. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2016;36(3):215-219. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-847
Kundakci B, Sultana A, Taylor AJ, Alshehri MA. The effectiveness of exercise-based vestibular rehabilitation in adult patients with chronic dizziness: A systematic review. F1000Res. 2018;7:276. Published 2018 Mar 5. doi:10.12688/f1000research.14089.1
Hoppes, C.W., Romanello, A.J., Gaudette, K.E. et al. Physical therapy interventions for cervicogenic dizziness in a military-aged population: protocol for a systematic review. Syst Rev 9, 62 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01335-4

Alli Gibbons is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Parkinson’s Specialists at MTI Physical Therapy’s Issaquah location. Allison is currently completing advanced orthopedic training through the Ola Grimsby Institute’s Residency Program where she will receive a Certificate in Manual Therapy. Allison enjoys treating dizziness, concussions, and other neurology and orthopedic mixed cases. Outside of PT she enjoys both playing and coaching soccer, as well as hiking the Pacific NW with her German Shepherd puppy, Harley.