Vertigo & Balance

What is Vertigo

There are many reasons for the onset of balance problems:

• Vestibular Migraine
• BPPV -Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
• Vascular problems
• A tumour on or near the acoustic nerve
• Trauma
• Meniere’s Disease
• Other diseases that can be related to hearing loss
• Sudden Hearing Loss

It’s a good idea to see your GP if you have persistent dizziness or if it keeps returning. A referral for a Balance Study (ENG or VNG) will probably be necessary to assess the cause of the dizziness.

Treatment for Vertigo

There are treatments for vertigo. Once the cause has been determined, then your ENT Specialist can recommend medication or perhaps a consultation with a Vestibular Physiotherapist.

Vestibular Physiotherapist

What is a Vestibular Physiotherapist?

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is a proven and effective exercise-based program. It improves the symptoms of dizziness, vertigo and unsteadiness resulting from inner ear conditions such as:

• Benign Paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Vestibular neuronitis
• Post acoustic neuroma removal
• Vestibular migraine
• Ototoxicity
• Trauma

If your symptoms are provoked or aggravated by movement – for instance lying flat in bed or when you turn over or look up high – or you become unsteady while walking, a doctor or an Audiologist can refer you for an initial assessment with a Vestibular Physiotherapist.

It is advisable to arrange an ENG/ Balance Study first in order to investigate the cause of the balance problem.