If you often feel dizzy, it is a good idea to see a doctor for a diagnosis. There are many possible causes of chronic dizziness, ranging from inner ear disorders to low blood pressure. Once diagnosed, your doctor will recommend a treatment to address the underlying cause of your dizziness. But they will probably also refer you to a physical therapist. This may seem strange at first, but indeed, physical therapists are good at helping patients manage chronic dizziness. Here are some of the approaches and treatments they may recommend.
Inner Ear Repositioning
If your doctor feels your dizziness is caused by an inner ear disorder, your physical therapist can perform a maneuver that should alleviate your symptoms within two or three appointments. Basically, they are aiming to encourage crystals that have formed in your inner ear to shift to the other side, restoring your sense of balance and alleviating dizziness. Once the crystals are in the right position, your body will reabsorb them, so your dizziness should not return.
Inner ear repositioning is easier than it sounds. Your physical therapist will generally have you lie on your side. They will then quickly turn your head one way, and then the other. Most patients feel nearly-instant relief from dizziness when the crystals move as intended.
Balance Exercises
These are something your physical therapist will have you work through, regardless of the cause of your dizziness. The goal is to improve your balance so that even if you do feel a little dizzy, you can get around safely. Restoring a sense of balance also tends to help ease dizziness.
There are a few simple balance exercises your physical therapist may show you how to do in their office. They may have you touch your nose while walking straight ahead on a line. They may also have you stand on one leg at a time while raising your arms above your head. Side leg raises, in which you hold one leg out to the side to the count of 5 or 10, are also helpful. The goal will be for you to get comfortable enough doing these exercises under the guidance of your physical therapist that you are able to keep up with them daily at home.
If you are feeling dizzy a lot, make sure you see a doctor, but also plan on visiting a physical therapist for treatment. The work they do can be excellent for dizziness.
Share6 January 2021
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