Steady All of Your Dizzying BPPV Symptoms with Physiotherapy
Does looking up? Rolling over in bed? Bending over to pick up something? Or leaning back in a chair set your world spinning? Then you may be experiencing Vertigo from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). For more information on this condition and how we can treat it, contact Global Physiotherapy today.
What Exactly is BPPV?
Vertigo in general is most commonly caused by an imbalance in the inner ear, also known as the “vestibular system.” Your vestibular system helps maintain your balance and center of gravity by sending messages to your brain regarding your movement. When this is impaired, the necessary messages become blocked from your brain, and your movement becomes affected. You may feel as if the world is spinning around you, you can’t focus your vision for prolonged periods of time, or you can’t stand/move properly without feeling like you’ll topple over.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when the microscopic calcium crystals known as “otoconia” located in your inner ears break apart and move around to different parts of the ear that they are not supposed to be in. This causes an incorrect gravitational message to occur in the brain, and we become unbalanced, resulting in the sudden spinning sensations of vertigo and inner-ear discomfort.
How is BPPV Treated?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can hinder your daily life, limiting your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Fortunately, Global Physiotherapy in Sherwood Park, AB has some of the most advanced techniques for diagnosing and treating BPPV.
Vestibular Rehabilitation is a form of physiotherapy that focuses on the vestibular system located within the inner ear and the ways in which is functioning with other systems in the body (vision, musculoskeletal, and balance). Since the vestibular system sends the gravitational messages to your brain about your body movements, focusing on Vestibular, eye or other balance-specific exercises can help in strengthening this system, thus diminishing your BPPV symptoms.
Canalith Reposition maneuvers, such as the Epley Maneuver, are forms of physiotherapy that focus on treatment-specific head and body movements for BPPV patients. These maneuvers help in relocating the calcium crystals to their proper position in the inner ear and restores the inner ears and brains signal pathways so a person no longer experiences vertigo.