Vertigo is the sensation of whirling or spinning. There are a number of different things that can cause vertigo. Some require a trip to your GP, and other’s your local physiotherapist with vestibular training can help.
How do I know if I have BPPV?
BPPV is usually due to moving in a certain direction. For example, you might bend down to pick something up, or turn to look over your shoulder and get dizzy every time you do it. This makes it highly likely to be BPPV.
Your physiotherapist will do a test to see if your ear canal is affected. The test involves making you dizzy and looking into your eyes to figure out which canal is the issue.
What can physio help with?
The type of vertigo that physiotherapy can help with is called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV for short. BPPV is caused by small particles floating in your ear canal and causing a sensation of movement on the tiny hairs within the canal, which will make the room appear to spin even when you’re not moving.
How does physio fix BPPV?
The process of fixing BPPV varies slightly depending on which canal is causing the problem. The technique involves floating the particles and moving them around the canal and back into the inner ear where they belong.
What to expect in a physiotherapy appointment?
We will have to invoke your dizziness in order to assess and treat your issue. Often you will feel a bit drained after your treatment; this is normal and it will pass.
It is recommended that you have someone else to drive you or wait after your treatment for around 10 minutes before driving.
How many treatments do you require?
Often 1 to 2 treatments will be enough to fix the problem. With some patients feeling much better after the first treatment. If you have more than one canal involved, the treatment process might take longer.
As vertigo often stiffens the neck to try and stop the movement, you may require some physiotherapy on your neck to reduce the stiffness after the vertigo has improved.
What to do after your appointment?
It is recommended that you:
- Sleep slightly elevated for a few days post treatment in order to minimise the risk of the particles coming out into the canal again
- For at least 1 week avoid provoking head positions. Sleep on two pillows, don’t look all the way up or down. Also, avoid sleeping on the affected side.
- Avoid head extended positions such as the dentist chair
Book an appointment
If you believe that you have BPPV and would like some help treating it, book an appointment now with one of our team by calling 0410 559 856.
For more information, please see our FAQs or contact the clinic.
