VERTIGO & BALANCE

Do you complain of dizziness, vertigo or poor balance of a sudden onset? This can be caused by an inner ear virus, trauma to the inner ear or degeneration of areas of the ear. At Tralee Physiotherapy Clinic, our physiotherapists can assess your vestibular problem, by taking a history, assessing eye movements and balance with the use of our high-tech infrared video googles. Using these googles, we can record the movements of your eyes which aid us to determine an accurate diagnosis, which we can then specifically treat. It may involve a few gentle manoeuvers of the head. You may also be given a set of home exercises. These exercises let the inner ear and balance system compensate for any inner ear damage. Results with some disorders can take a week to settle and others require a six-month programme. Most of the work is done at home while the physiotherapist guides the patient with appropriate progressions. With guidance and a motivated patient, one can get a good result.

What is the Vestibular System?

The Vestibular System includes the inner ear, the  eyes and the brain and spinal cord, it works together to give information about balance, posture and the body’s orientation in space. A fault in this system is what causes the feelings of unsteadiness and dizziness. The most common cause of dizziness is Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo – BPPV (tiny crystals in the inner ear disrupt the normal function of the inner ear). We can accurately diagnose whether this is your issue using our infrared goggles. If BPPV is diagnosed, a simple head manoeuvre as treatment can help alleviate symptoms.

If you or someone you know are experiencing any symptoms as listed above, get in contact with the clinic. Physiotherapy is highly effective and can have a huge impact on improving your quality of life.