Vertigo and dizziness

Balance is achieved by our brain coordinating information from our eyes, ears and our awareness of the position and movement of the body, which is called proprioception. Proprioception is facilitated by special receptors in our muscles, joints, and tendons.

Damage to the eyes, ears or proprioception will interfere with our balance. Some of the symptoms of this are dizziness, nausea, unsteadiness, and vertigo.

These symptoms can cause problems with what seem the simplest of daily tasks:

• Turning over in bed
• Getting out of bed
• Standing up
• Picking something up off the floor
• Gardening
• Reaching for a cup in the cupboard
• Going to the gym
• Emptying the washing machine and hanging up the washing
• Being able to go shopping
• Watching a film
• Reading a book
• Driving

People can become embarrassed to go out feeling that they look like they are drunk and wondering if they are going to fall over. It can lead to being unable to leave the house, drive to work, take the children to school or go out socially. This isolation can have a secondary knock on effect of depression, despair, and loneliness.

Physiotherapy works with everyone towards resolving these symptoms, where able, so you can regain independence and freedom. Even in cases where the nature of the diagnosis means the symptoms reoccur, the impact can be lessened and the sufferer feel they know what to do and that they have a ‘tool box’ to deal with each recurrence, so placing them back in control of their own lives.

Some of the benefits of physiotherapy treatment are listed below: