Regain Stability with Vertigo Treatment
Feel as if you or your surroundings are spinning even when you’re perfectly still? Vertigo episodes can impact your balance and focus, ranging from brief to chronic symptoms.
At Bangalow Headache Neck & Jaw Clinic, we understand how disruptive vertigo can be. Our experienced physiotherapist helps identify the exact cause of your dizziness and provides evidence-based vertigo treatment tailored to your unique symptoms and diagnosis. Restore your balance with clarity and confidence with us.
Vertigo can impact your life, let us help you fix the issues.
What is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a type of dizziness involving the illusion of movement. It’s marked by the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning. It’s not a condition on its own but a symptom of an underlying issue, which can be categorised as either:
- Peripheral Vertigo: Caused by dysfunctions in the inner ear or vestibular nerve.
- Central Vertigo: Originates from issues in the brain, especially the brainstem or cerebellum.
Peripheral vertigo is more common and often more intense, but central vertigo can be more complex and serious. Accurately determining the source is key to effectivetreatment for vertigo.
Safe & Fast
All techniques involve targeted, slow and sustained pressure. There is NO manipulation (cracking) of the spine.
Effective
80% of people assessed have treatable and relevant dysfunction. Most of these will see significant changes in the first two weeks.
100% Natural
No drugs, needles, toxic chemicals or side-effects. Just correcting a previously misunderstood fault in biomechanics.
Vertigo Symptoms
Vertigo symptoms vary in intensity and duration, occurring suddenly or building gradually. You may experience:
- Spinning or whirling sensation
- Unsteadiness, loss of coordination, or balance issues
- Nausea and vomiting
- Nystagmus (involuntary, rhythmic, rapid eye movements)
- Headaches, migraines, or neck tightness
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- A feeling of pressure in the ear
- Motion sensitivity or brain fog
Common Causes of Vertigo
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is one of the most common causes of vertigo. It occurs when tiny crystals in the inner ear become dislodged and move into the semicircular canals, interfering with the fluid flow. This causes imbalance and brief, intense spinning sensations with head movements.
Vestibular Neuritis and Labyrinthitis
Inflammation of the vestibular nerve or inner ear, often because of a viral infection. They can trigger sudden, severe vertigo, imbalance, and sometimes hearing loss, and might manifest with nausea, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, and vision problems.
Meniere’s Disease
An inner ear disorder caused by fluid buildup, causing recurrent vertigo episodes, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing changes, and a feeling of pressure in the affected ear.
Vestibular Migraine
A neurological condition affecting balance and perception, where you experience central vertigo, often but not always, accompanied by migraine symptoms. Vertigo episodes may occur with headaches, visual disturbances, and sensitivity to light, sound, and motion.
Cervicogenic Vertigo
Dysfunction in the neck, especially in the upper cervical spine, can affect spatial orientation, causing symptoms similar to vertigo. The dizziness arises from disrupted sensory signals from the neck’s joints and muscles.
Other Causes
Vertigo can also result from more serious issues like stroke, brain tumours, or side effects from certain medications. This makes precise and careful diagnosis essential, as a qualified physio for vertigo can rule out or identify possible red flags, ensuring your treatment plan addresses the root cause.
Common Vertigo Triggers
Understanding your triggers can help reduce flare-ups and severity. These can include:
- Quick head movements
- Rolling over in bed
- Looking up or bending down
- Sudden position changes or prolonged standing
- Dehydration or skipped meals
- Stress, fatigue or lack of sleep
- Crowded or visually intense environments
How We Diagnose Vertigo
Accurately diagnosing vertigo requires time, experience, and the right tools. At our vertigo clinic, your assessment is thorough and personalised, designed to uncover where your vertigo originates from. We use infrared goggles to video eye movement during testing to improve diagnostic accuracy.
We begin with a detailed history to understand your symptoms, triggers, and how vertigo affects your daily life. From there, we use a series of clinical tests, including:
- Infrared goggle testing to track eye movements and detect nystagmus (involuntary and repetitive eye flicking), a key sign of vestibular dysfunction
- Positional testing, such as the Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre, used to diagnose BPPV
- Balance and gait assessments to evaluate your stability and how your body responds to movement
- Cervical spine examination if symptoms suggest neck-related vertigo
This process typically takes an hour and is critical to determining the root cause of your symptoms. An accurate diagnosis ensures the right vertigo treatment plan, avoiding unnecessary tests, delays, or mismanagement.
Vertigo Treatment
Vestibular Physiotherapy
Our physiotherapist, who offers specialised treatments for vertigo, provides targeted rehabilitation exercises to retrain your brain and improve balance and motion tolerance. These may include gaze stabilisation, balance and posture training, desensitisation to motion triggers, and head and body coordination exercises.
Repositioning Maneuvers
For BPPV, gentle head and body movements, such as the Epley maneuvers, can move crystals out of the inner ear canal. These techniques are quick, safe, and highly effective, with a success rate of 80% to 90%.
Multidisciplinary & Supportive Care
For complex or persistent cases, our physio for vertigo may coordinate with GPs, ENT doctors, or neurologists to ensure the most effective, holistic approach.
In instances of inner ear inflammation or for short-term relief, medication such as antihistamines or vestibular suppressants may be suggested.
The Patient Journey at Our Vertigo Clinic
Focused on your clarity, comfort, and recovery, here’s what to expect when with vertigo physiotherapy at Bangalow Headache Neck & Jaw Clinic.
- Thorough Symptom History: We take the time to understand your triggers, lifestyle, and health.
- Advanced Testing: Using proven clinical tools and infrared goggles, we conduct comprehensive vestibular and balance testing.
- Clear Diagnosis & Tailored Plan: Based on findings and precise diagnosis, we develop an accurate treatment plan for vertigo.
- Ongoing Care: Support as you progress, including education, self-management strategies, and referrals if needed.
What Makes Our Physio for Vertigo the Go-To Choice
Michael Hayward brings over three decades of clinical experience, including world-class training in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation. He has worked alongside experts like Susan Herdman and Richard Clendaniel, informing our approach to vertigo treatments.
Understanding the complex links between the neck, inner ear, and brain, our dizzy clinic delivers comprehensive care effectively and safely.
We also treat...
Our experts treat a number of headache and jaw pain issues, and have a high level of knowledge and experience with any pain you may be suffering from.
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Vertigo Treatment FAQs
Vertigo is assessed through a detailed history and a series of physical tests. These may include positional tests (like the Dix-Hallpike), infrared goggle tracking to observe eye movements, balance assessments, and a cervical spine check if neck involvement is suspected.
This process helps pinpoint whether the dysfunction comes from the inner ear or the brain, ensuring accurate vertigo treatment.
Yes, vertigo can disrupt everyday tasks, especially those involving movement or focus. Driving, walking in crowds, or getting out of bed may feel disorienting. In some cases, it can lead to anxiety, reduced independence, and increased fall risk.
Book an appointment at our vertigo clinic if you’re experiencing repeated or severe dizziness, balance issues, or episodes that last longer than a few seconds. Warning signs like vision changes, headaches, slurred speech, or limb weakness also need urgent attention. Early treatment can prevent symptoms from worsening and help you return to everyday life quicker and more safely.
Get Targeted Treatment for Vertigo
Vertigo isn’t something you have to live with. Our physio for vertigo offers research-backed, drug-free dizziness treatment in Bangalow that targets the source of your pain. Book your assessment today for personalised care and get back to living comfortably.
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