Dizziness and Vertigo

Do you feel like the world is spinning around you and you can’t quite get your footing? Has dizziness and vertigo been impacting your daily life?

We’ve all had the sensation of being dizzy, especially when standing up too quickly. It’s as if you can’t focus, can’t see straight, and can’t stand upright without swaying or falling. You may even experience “tunnel vision,” where your peripheral vision goes dark for a few seconds.

Dizziness is fairly common and can have many causes. Vertigo, however, is a little different! While dizziness is typically synonymous with “lightheadedness,” which creates the illusion of being unsteady, vertigo is usually a response to a physiological factor that is causing a literal imbalance in your body.

If you’ve ever experienced vertigo, you might remember feeling as if you are “rocking” or “spinning,” even when you’re totally still!

If you are located in Mililani and Kailua or the surrounding area and living with dizziness or vertigo, don’t hesitate to contact Moon Physical Therapy today. We’ll have you back up on your feet in no time at all.

Finding relief for your dizziness and vertigo through physical therapy

Dizziness and vertigo can really mess up your everyday life, limiting your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. No matter what the cause of your problem may be, physical therapy can certainly help. Moon Physical Therapy in Mililani and Kailua can successfully diagnose and treat both dizziness and vertigo with vestibular rehabilitation.

Vestibular rehabilitation is also referred to as balance therapy, and includes treatments such as the Epley maneuver and Cawthorne head exercises. The Epley maneuver allows for canalith repositioning, in order to move the broken calcium crystals in patients experiencing BPPV. Cawthorne head exercises focus on decreasing nerve sensitivity and reducing the effects of vertigo.

Balance therapy may be a good fit for you if you are experiencing dizziness and symptoms of vertigo on a daily basis.

Causes and symptoms of vertigo

Your vestibular system helps you maintain your balance and center of gravity by sending messages to your brain regarding your movement. When this is impaired, the necessary messages become blocked from your brain, and your movement becomes affected. This is called vertigo. Vertigo is most commonly caused by an imbalance in the inner ear, also known as the “vestibular system.”

Many people deal with vertigo for weeks before realizing that they need to see a professional about the problem. People often complain that the world won’t stop spinning, or that they can’t focus their vision for prolonged periods of time. Oftentimes, they can’t stand/move properly without feeling like they’re going to fall over! These symptoms can leave a person feeling weak and powerless of their body.

Some common causes of vertigo include:

Stroke

A stroke is considered a neurological disorder, and it affects movement in your whole body. If you recently suffered a stroke, you may experience waves of vertigo which may linger for a long time.

Meniere’s disease

This disease occurs when fluid builds up in one or both of your ears. This typically includes “ringing” in your ear and sudden waves of intense dizziness that may last for hours. You may also experience momentary hearing loss as well.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

This is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when the tiny calcium crystals located in your ears break apart and move around to different parts of the ear, where they are not supposed to be. This can cause sudden spinning sensations (vertigo) and inner-ear discomfort.

Migraines

Migraine headaches can also impact your vestibular system, thus causing episodes of vertigo which may be coupled with a sensitivity to light or sound. Vision may also be impaired.

Vestibular neuritis

This is an inner-ear infection that can cause vertigo.

There are several symptoms associated with vertigo that you should look out for, including:

• Abnormal eye movements
• Arm or leg weakness
• Inability to focus or remain alert
• Nausea or vomiting
• Double vision
• Sweating
• Difficulty seeing or speaking

What is the cause of my dizziness?

There are tons of things that can lead to a person feeling dizzy. A few are lack of sleep, poor nutrition, overexertion, or a physical ailment, such as a head cold or the flu.

Dizziness can also occur from something as simple as standing up too quickly after an extended period of rest, or not being hydrated enough.

Some accompanying symptoms to dizziness may include:

• Loss of balance
• Feeling faint or woozy
• Momentarily impaired vision (i.e. tunnel vision)
• Lightheadedness or heavy-headedness

Get your feet back under you today:

In Mililani and Kailua, recovery from vertigo is only offered in select practices, Moon Physical Therapy being one of them. At Moon Physical Therapy, our advanced methods and diagnostic tools have earned us a reputation as being one of the most successful physical therapy practices in the area for treating dizziness and vertigo.

If you are experiencing either of these conditions, contact our clinic in Mililani and Kailua to schedule an appointment today. We will help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible!