Vestibular Physiotherapy in Edmonton, AB

Dizziness, vertigo, and other balance issues affect 15 to 20 percent of adults yearly. Balance issues cause floating or spinning sensations that may make you stagger or fall while walking and performing other activities. While getting dizzy occasionally is normal and may be due to factors like standing up too quickly, you may suffer from balance disorders if you experience frequent and severe dizziness. 

Dizziness and other balance issues can limit your ability to perform daily activities comfortably. Over time, you may experience a drastic reduction in your overall quality of life. You may suffer balance issues due to injury, illnesses, and other medical conditions. One of the most common conditions causing balance issues is vestibular dysfunction. However, we offer comprehensive vestibular rehabilitation in Edmonton, AB, to treat and manage dizziness and other balance issues. 

Understanding the Vestibular System

The vestibular system is one of the body’s systems that comprises sensory organs in the inner ear that help you maintain your sense of balance, coordination, and posture. They do this by feeding the brain information on motion, spatial orientation, and head position. The vestibular system is divided into:

• Peripheral vestibular system: This component comprises 5 organs within the inner ear that pick up information the body needs to maintain balance. The structures that make up the peripheral vestibular system include the vestibule, bony labyrinth, utricle and saccule (otoliths), and the semicircular canals. The semicircular canals are three tiny fluid-filled tubes in the inner ear. These tubes help to keep balance by indicating rotational movements. On the other hand, otoliths are also known as “earstones”. Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures in the inner ear that contribute to vestibular function by sensing linear movements and gravity. 

• Central vestibular system: This component of the vestibular system refers to the parts of the central nervous system (CNS) that process the balance signals sent from the vestibular organs in the inner ear. 

When the peripheral vestibular system organs sense head movements, they send information about your position and orientation within your surroundings to your brain. The brain integrates this information with the help of the central vestibular system and sends signals to help the body remain in balance. 

While the vestibular system is important for maintaining balance, coordination, and posture, disruptions may occur, leading to vestibular dysfunctions.

Common Vestibular Disorders

Vestibular disorders are caused by vestibular system dysfunction that disrupts its normal functioning. These disorders cause dizziness, vertigo, and other balance issues. Vestibular dysfunction may be due to infections, structural damage, medications, and other conditions. Some of the most common vestibular disorders that you may experience include:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): This is a inner ear disorder caused by the dislodgement of otoconia (tiny calcium crystals) from their normal position on the utricle, due to head trauma/injury, prolonged periods of inactivity, age-related degeneration, etc. When this occurs, these crystals flow freely in the fluid-filled spaces of the ear and may even drift into the semicircular canals. The drifting of otoconia into unnatural places in the inner ear may disrupt normal fluid movement and send false signals to the brain, leading to dizziness, brief episodes of vertigo, nausea, and other vestibular problems. 

• Vestibular neuritis: This is another inner ear disorder caused by inflammation of the vestibular nerve. The vestibular nerve transmits balance-related signals from the inner ear to the brain. However, viral infections, such as the flu, chickenpox, measles, or herpes simplex virus, can infect the vestibular nerve, inflaming it and disrupting the transmission of balance-related signals. Symptoms of vestibular neuritis may include vertigo, nausea and vomiting, balance problems, inability to concentrate, etc. 

• Labyrinthitis:  The labyrinth is the innermost part of the ear that contains organs of hearing and balance, such as the cochlea, vestibular system, etc. However, this part of the ear may become inflamed due to trauma or injury, viral infections, bacterial infections, autoimmune disorders, etc, leading to labyrinthitis. Since the labyrinth houses both balance and hearing organs, labyrinthitis affects both vestibular and cochlear components. Common symptoms of labyrinthitis include hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting, loss of balance, headaches, vision changes, etc. 

Other common vestibular disorders that you may experience include Ménière’s disease, vestibular migraine, ototoxicity, acoustic neuroma, autoimmune inner ear disease, perilymph fistula, etc.

Vestibular disorders make it difficult to perform your daily activities and participate in your favorite leisure activity without feeling like you would fall or actually falling. Fortunately, we offer comprehensive vestibular physiotherapy in Edmonton, AB, to reduce the symptoms of vestibular disorders, enhance mobility, balance, and independence, and improve overall quality of life. 

What Does Vestibular Physiotherapy Entail?

Vestibular physiotherapy is also known as vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT). This specialized form of physiotherapy is an evidence-based approach that treats and manages dizziness, vertigo, and other balance issues and symptoms occurring due to vestibular dysfunction. In addition to reducing the symptoms of vestibular dysfunction, vestibular physiotherapy in Edmonton, AB also improves balance and spatial orientation in people suffering from vestibular disorders. While this procedure may take some time, it is guaranteed to improve your overall quality of life with time. 

The first step during vestibular physiotherapy is a comprehensive assessment by a physiotherapist. Before treatment, you may undergo a detailed evaluation from a physiotherapist to determine the cause of your vestibular dysfunction and the best treatment procedure. Comprehensive assessment during vestibular physiotherapy may involve a medical history review,  physical examination, balance and gait assessment, hearing and neurological assessments, and other vestibular function tests (Dix-Hallpike test, head impulse test, dynamic visual acuity test, etc). 

Vestibular physiotherapy employs several techniques to reduce the symptoms of vestibular dysfunction, prevent falls, improve your ability to perform daily activities comfortably, enhance balance and posture, and improve your overall quality of life. Some of the most common treatment approaches for vestibular physiotherapy include:

• Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers: This vestibular physiotherapy treatment technique is suitable if you suffer from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). With this treatment method, your physiotherapist tries to reposition displaced otoconia (ear crystals) through a series of head movements.

• Gaze stabilization exercises: This therapeutic vestibular stabilization exercise helps improve your vision and focus even while moving your head. This treatment method can help with vertigo and other balance issues.

• Habituation exercises: This vestibular rehabilitation treatment procedure involves repeatedly exposing the body to movements or stimuli that cause dizziness to force long-term changes in the nervous system. Habituation exercises can help to treat and manage dizziness and other symptoms of vestibular dysfunction. 

• Balance and postural training: This refers to a series of exercises that improve stability and strengthen the muscles to keep balance and reduce risks of falls. Examples of balance training exercises that you may undergo during vestibular rehabilitation therapy include single-leg stand, single-leg deadlift, plank, reverse lunge, bicep curl, etc. 

Other vestibular physiotherapy techniques we may employ to treat and manage your vestibular disorders include functional training, strength and conditioning, lifestyle and environmental modifications, etc.

Vestibular disorders affect your balance and sometimes hearing, making it impossible to perform your daily activities without the fear of falling or getting involved in other accidents. However, vestibular physiotherapy can treat and manage vestibular disorders and their symptoms, subsequently improving your overall quality of life. At Vira Physiotherapy, our skilled physiotherapists specialize in several vestibular rehabilitation therapy treatment approaches. Therefore, if you suffer from vestibular dysfunction, apply for our vestibular rehabilitation therapy program with our highly trained specialists, state-of-the-art facility, and ultramodern equipment in Edmonton, AB.