Feeling Off Balance Lately? Physical Therapy Can Help You Gain Control Again.
Find Relief for All Your Dizzying Symptoms
Being dizzy is a very strange feeling, especially when it hits you out of nowhere. We’ve all felt dizzy or off balance, as if we couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t see straight, or couldn’t stay upright without swaying or falling over. Many of us have also had “tunnel vision,” in which the peripheral vision goes dark for a few seconds, which can be pretty scary.
Most of the time, this sensation occurs when we get up too quickly. It can be disorienting, but it usually passes quickly.
However, ask yourself this question. Does the dizziness you’re feeling do more than just make you dizzy for a few seconds? Is it actually having an impact on your daily life?
If your answer is “yes,” you might benefit from seeing one of our Overland Park physical therapists to find a long-term solution to your problem.
Dizziness is common and can have a variety of consequences. In some cases, what you may be dealing with is vertigo. Vertigo is a little different. Although dizziness is commonly associated with “lightheadedness,” which gives the impression of being unsteady, vertigo is a physiological reaction that causes a literal imbalance in your body.
Those living with vertigo frequently report feeling as if they are “rocking” or “spinning,” even while sitting.
If you have dizziness or vertigo and are looking for a conveniently located Overland Park physical therapist, please call College Park Physical Therapy at (913) 681-0606 or click here to make an appointment.
Common causes of dizziness
Any of the many causes that may contribute to dizziness include lack of sleep, inadequate diet, over-exercise or physical illness, such as a head cold or flu.
Dizziness can also result from anything as basic as standing up too quickly after a prolonged period of rest. Some accompanying symptoms of dizziness may include:
- Loss of balance
- Feeling faint
- Vision temporarily affected (i.e. tunnel vision)
- Light-headedness or heavy-headedness
The best way to know the source of your dizziness is to visit a doctor. There may be another underlying factor you don’t know about.
You may also look out for these other specific symptoms as well in regards to vertigo:
- Unable to concentrate or stay alert
- Nausea and vomiting
- Double vision
- Sweating
- Abnormal eye movements
- Arm and leg weakness
- Difficulty with vision and speaking
Causes of vertigo
Many people who live with vertigo commonly feel like the world is spinning around them, that they can’t focus their vision for long periods, or that they can’t stand/move properly without feeling dizzy.
Since vertigo can disrupt your daily routine and lifestyle, this can be extremely difficult to deal with.
An imbalance in the inner ear, often known as the “vestibular system,” is the most prevalent cause of vertigo.
Your vestibular system aids you in keeping your balance and center of gravity by transmitting signals about your movement to your brain.
If this system is damaged or not functioning properly, the impulses required to maintain your balance are inhibited from reaching your brain, altering your mobility.
Are you living with any of these conditions?
Several conditions and events can result in vertigo or problems with dizziness and balance. If any of these conditions ring a bell, chances are your balance has been negatively affected and you could use the help of a licensed physical therapist!
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
This is the most common source of vertigo. It happens when tiny calcium crystals in your ears break apart and travel around to various areas of the ear where they are not supposed to be. This can cause sudden spinning (vertigo) and inner-ear discomfort.
Meniere’s disease
This happens as the fluid builds up in your ear (s). This normally involves “ringing” in the ear and unexpected waves of extreme dizziness that can last for hours. You can also experience temporary hearing loss.
Vestibular neuritis
This is an inner-ear infection that can cause vertigo.
Migraines
Migraines can impact the vestibular system, causing vertigo episodes that are sometimes accompanied by a light or sound sensitivity. It’s possible that your vision will be impaired as well.
Stroke
A stroke influences the movement of the whole body. If you have recently had a stroke, you can feel vertigo waves that can last for prolonged periods.
Concussion
The trauma to the brain caused by a concussion can result in abnormal vestibular system functioning leading to symptoms including dizziness, nausea, and brain fog. The best treatment for symptoms of concussion involves an assessment of vestibular function by a physical therapist.
How can physical therapy help me regain my balance?
Dizziness and vertigo can have an impact on your daily life, limiting your ability to perform even the most basic tasks, but only if you let them. You don’t have to though, not when treatment at College Park Physical Therapy is available to you!
Fortunately, vestibular physical therapy for dizziness and vertigo can help you find relief, regardless of the cause of the imbalance.
At College Park Physical Therapy, we have a high success rate in diagnosing and treating dizziness and vertigo. Vestibular therapy includes specific treatments such as Epley and Cawthorne head exercises.
The Epley Maneuver aids in the repositioning of canaliths in order to transfer calcium crystals that have been damaged. Cawthorne head exercises are intended to alleviate nerve sensitivity and dizziness.
Your physical therapist will examine your condition and create a treatment plan that will address your concerns while also improving your foot stability.
Get back on your feet again with physical therapy
Our innovative treatments and diagnostic techniques have earned College Park Physical Therapy a reputation as one of the most effective dizziness and vertigo treatment practices in Olathe or Overland Park.
If you’re living with dizziness or vertigo, don’t put treatment off any longer. Call College Park Physical Therapy at (913) 681-0606 right away to schedule an appointment. We will assist you in regaining your footing as soon as possible!