What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
It can be very disturbing to feel unbalanced or unsteady. Dizziness and vertigo are amongst the leading reasons why an individual seeks medical attention but their diagnoses are often overlooked. Individuals may feel disoriented, have unclear vision, be unbalanced when walking, and/or sensitive to motion.
It is important not to confuse the terms “vertigo” and “dizziness”. The term dizziness is used to describe a variety of sensations (i.e. light headed, swaying, disoriented, etc.) whereas vertigo is a specific type of dizziness defined as the illusion of movement occurring in the environment (usually the sensation that the room/world is spinning).
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo, accounting for 20-30 per cent of all patients treated for vertigo, and is thought to be responsible for 50 per cent of all dizziness in seniors. Symptoms of BPPV are usually caused by specific head movements such as: rolling over in bed (usually one side being worse), getting in/out of bed, looking up, bending over, or quick head movements.
Regardless of your age or how long you’ve been struggling with your balance, dizziness, or vertigo issue, vestibular rehabilitation can benefit you! Recent studies have demonstrated that vestibular rehabilitation can significantly decrease the risk of falls in elderly at-risk patients.
Every treatment plan is individualized, but you can expect vestibular rehabilitation to include manoeuvers to correct BPPV, balance training, habituation techniques, gaze stabilization techniques, adaptation exercises, gait exercises, hands-on treatment of the neck, physical conditioning, Tai Chi, and/or a home exercise program. Individuals can expect to see an improvement in their symptoms within 6-8 weeks or sooner, depending on their specific condition.
For more information or to book an appointment call 705-380-3312 or visit the website . Elevate Physiotherapy is located at 33 King William Street, Suite 204, in Huntsville. Office hours are flexible with evening appointments available (3x/week).
Stephanie is a bilingual, Registered Physiotherapist with the College of Physiotherapist of Ontario and the Canadian Physiotherapy Association who is committed to providing a hands on, personalized approach to physiotherapy.
Stephanie, a native to the Huntsville community, developed a passion for health and wellness during her youth while competing in cross-country running, nordic skiing, and track and field. Stephanie has always had a strong caring nature and fell in love with the physiotherapy profession while volunteering at a physiotherapy clinic during high school and university.
Stephanie continued to build on her passion for health care by attending McGill University and completing her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. During her Masters in Health Science of Physiotherapy, completed at the University of Ottawa, she completed internships in orthopaedic clinics, hospitals, home care, and neurology centres.
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