Is Dizziness a Problem For You?
Dizziness and balance problems account for 5 to 10 percent of all physician visits and affect approximately 50 percent of all adults at some time. Causes are varied and all patients should have a medical assessment prior to starting physiotherapy.
Common Causes:
Common causes of dizziness can be due to Cardiovascular issues, neurological dysfunctions, visual deficits, psychogenic issues (anxiety, depressions). It can also be due to vestibular system disorders:
- BPPV-Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
- Head Trauma (whiplash) -a frequent cause of vestibular disorder in people under age 50.
- Vestibular system degeneration-primarily in an elderly population
- Ear infections and inner ear infections
- Ototoxicity-high dosage or long term use of certain antibiotics
- Barotrauma- scuba diving-pressure/miners
- Vascular insufficiency
Vestibular Rehabilitation Services:
A thorough assessment of the above systems is performed to identify the source of the problem. Treatment techniques and/or vestibular exercises are then given to accommodate the system. See Vestibular.org for more information.