Vertigo/Vestibular/Balance Disorders
Dr. Arron Achey, PT, DPT
A Message From Arron Achey, Owner & Founder Of QÔL Integrative Health
If you’ve recently experienced vertigo, dizziness, or balance problems, you’re probably worried, and rightly so. It is true that in certain circumstances, especially when combined with other symptoms, these symptoms can be highly significant and necessitate further medical treatment. Most cases of vertigo, dizziness, and balance problems, on the other hand, are harmless and can be addressed with conservative approaches such as physical therapy. Rest assured, Doctors of Physical Therapy are qualified to determine whether conservative physical therapy treatment is appropriate or if your case necessitates referral to a specialist.
On the other hand, if your symptoms are nothing new to you or you’ve been told there’s nothing you can do about it, it can be extremely easy to dismiss it as “nothing serious” and simply “put up with it as something that happens as you age” and carry on as best you can.
Alternatively, you can quickly become frustrated and disillusioned, feeling “stuck” or “given up on,” and wondering if you’ll ever feel comfortable being active again.
If this is happening to you, you are not alone; we have dealt with folks who have experienced the same thing numerous times. We see people suffering from these symptoms for far longer than they should. A client recently asked me, “So you’re saying my balance and dizziness can improve?” Yes. Most emphatically.
Traditionally, after clearing warning flags, doctors and medical experts will simply encourage patients to “rest” or take this or that medication…on top of any other meds they may or may not be taking.
Have you ever read about the potential adverse effects of these medications?
Dizziness is almost always a side effect. If you ask me, it sounds ridiculous.
That is not to argue that there aren’t occasions when these medications are appropriate, but far too often they are administered as if they were candy and don’t address the basis of the vertigo, dizziness, or balance disturbance. Instead, they only conceal the symptoms and, if used for an extended period, can be harmful to your health or worsen the situation. It’s no surprise that people become frustrated and wonder:
"How Come I'm Still Suffering From Vertigo, Dizziness, or Unsteady Balance After Months?"
Most people, rightly, believe that resting or taking it easy will make things better…Only to discover that when they return to being active, they are still restricted – sometimes even more so than when it initially appeared. Or they’ll just push through it, thinking “No pain, no gain,” but without correct advice, they’ll wind up making matters worse and creating a new problem.
Does This Describe You?
Another scenario that we see frequently in our Physical Therapy Clinic is when clients go to the doctor and are told they have vertigo. If they are not given a prescription, they may be given a list of exercises to try instead. However, more often than not, the Doctor does not have the time or has not taken the effort to ensure that these are the correct exercises to undertake in the first place. “See how these go, and get back to me.”
Sure, sometimes it works by coincidence, but most of the time it doesn’t. You’ll return to the doctor with the same complaints, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get an order for physical therapy. Consider yourself fortunate if they refer you to a good Physical Therapist.
What if, instead, you could simply begin with someone who has the required skills and time to provide exceptional care, with treatment tailored precisely to your case? At the same time, don’t be too quick to prescribe a new drug, as this is likely only masking your symptoms and not getting to the root of the problem.
Unfortunately, in our flawed healthcare system, this happens more frequently than you’d like to admit…sometimes without the Doctor’s fault. They may simply lack the time to sort through the differential diagnoses, and as a result, your treatment strategy may be doomed from the start.
What We Do Know for Certain Is That Not All Vertigo, Dizziness, or Balance Disorders Are Caused by the Same Thing and Should Not Be Treated in the Same Way…
There is no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all technique. Instead, a thorough review and investigation to rule out or confirm your specific causes MUST take precedence.
So you’re probably confused and frustrated since you’ve been told various things by various people. Perhaps you believe you have an inner ear condition that is hurting your balance, but it is originating from your neck.
Vertigo, dizziness, and balance issues can be quite perplexing because they are frequently complex. Sometimes it’s a simple remedy, like true BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo…what a tongue twister), but there’s often a musculoskeletal (bone/joint/muscle/tendon/ligament) component involved as well. It could be a slower response from the receptors responsible for automatically regulating your blood pressure with positional changes, or it could be a true adverse effect of polypharmacy (interactions of too many system-wide medications in your body).
This misunderstanding frequently drives people to procrastinate and postpone deciding what to do to help solve their problem and return to exercise or activity. Worse, many people simply accept that ‘their days of being active are passed’, as if it’s normal or ‘must’ to be that way.
Is That How You Feel as Well?
If You’re Currently Frustrated by Vertigo, Dizziness, or Balance Problems, Here Are 7 More Reasons Why It May Be Lasting Longer Than It Should:
- You expected it to go away on its own, but it didn’t.
- You went to the doctor, who urged you to relax and take a new prescription – but the drugs didn’t help, or when they have worn off, you were back where you started.
- A family member or friend informed you that everyone has vertigo, dizziness, or balance problems as they age, so you just accepted it.
- You have previously sought assistance from other Healthcare Professionals or a Physiotherapist, but nothing they said or did appear to help.
- You’ve tried other things, such as herbal cures, essential oils, or other natural concoctions, but they haven’t helped you get rid of your vertigo, dizziness, or balance concerns or return to activity with ease.
- You believed it would be a good idea to relax because movement seemed to aggravate your symptoms, but it still troubles you regularly.
- You chose to check up on balance exercises in the hopes that they would solve your problem, but they didn’t.
If any of these things have happened to you, we would love to assist you by encouraging you to schedule a call with our Doctor of physical therapy to find out what we can do to help you. The fact that you’ve tried any or all of these things is a GOOD THING since knowing what doesn’t work brings you closer to discovering what does!
If you want to obtain some serious guidance over the phone, use the link below to book a call with us. The phone call is free, and there is no need to make appointments with us following the conversation. Our goal is to assist you in making the best decision about what to do next.
Together, you and your therapist will devise a strategy for healing while preserving strength and strengthening the resiliency of your muscles, tendons, and joints.
They will show you how to incorporate certain exercises into your warm-up and training routine to avoid similar concerns in the future.
So, here are four things you can do:
First and foremost, you must decide whether or not to get treatment. Many people put off seeking help for far too long, believing that vertigo, dizziness, or balance problem would simply go away with time. Then, six months later, they’re still putting up with it, and nothing has changed. Or it worsens, and they continue to avoid being active or exercising entirely.
Next, do the RIGHT exercises – one of the best ways to recover quickly from an episode of vertigo, dizziness, or balance issues is to do the right series of treatments paired with specific progressed exercises – the right exercises given to you by a Doctor of Physical Therapy will help reduce your symptoms, and allow you to move more freely and return to your chosen activities once again quickly – and ensure that the problems don’t come back in most cases.
Avoid “too much rest” – While relaxation is a vital component of the recovery process, getting too much rest will not help you recover quickly. Many individuals believe that recuperation entails the complete cessation of activities or exercise. However, adequate supervised exercise is almost certainly required to jump-start your healing process for your condition to recover…Everything is done to help you restore your confidence and freedom!
Seek genuine, “hands-on” Physical Therapy – Physical Therapy has been shown to help people with the majority of vertigo, dizziness, and balance difficulties. In fact, at QÔL Integrative Health, we assist patients in recovering from these conditions all year. If your symptoms are preventing you from staying active or participating in sports, affecting your job, threatening your independence, and interfering with spending quality time with family and friends, Physical Therapy can help you get back to living the life you deserve as soon as possible.
If you’d like to learn more about how Physical Therapy at QÔL Integrative Health in the Norfolk, Virginia area can help you get back to being active as soon as possible and safely, we welcome you to start with a free 15 minute discovery call to see how we can best help support you along your journey!
So Here’s the Next Question...
"How Can Choosing QÔL Integrative Health As Your Physical Therapist Help You Get Rid Of Your Vertigo, Dizziness, or Balance Issue Forever?"
- We may typically improve your symptoms in just a few sessions.
- We can help you figure out what's going on and get to the bottom of your problems once and for all - frequently in less than 20 minutes.
- Vertigo, dizziness, or balance issues can frequently "zap" your energy and prevent you from keeping active or participating in your favorite sport - we can help you enjoy living with more energy each day and return to doing what you love safely.
- We will verify that your problem is correctly "corrected" and "healed" - and we will offer you the ideal set of exercises to hasten your recovery.
- We can assist you in stopping taking all of those medications (in most situations), which are bad for your long-term health.
- We can assist you in avoiding the Doctor's waiting area, where you will be urged to "rest" once more.
- We can assist you in regaining the valuable time with family and friends that your illnesses have taken away from you.
- We can assist you in finally being able to walk and move freely without fear of your symptoms worsening and stopping you in your tracks.
Essentially, the Physical Therapy team at QÔL Integrative Health can help you return to your favorite activities and live free of daily irritating and aggravating symptoms associated with vertigo, dizziness, or balance concerns.
If you want to know how much it costs and what appointments are available at our clinics in Virginia, please click the button below and fill out the short form:
If there are flaws that can be rectified, you should not have to give up your favorite runs.
Sincerely,
Arron Achey, PT, DPT, Cert. DN, AIB-VR
Owner of QÔL Integrative Health
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