Feeling dizzy – this time of year is prime time for acute onset of vertigo. Did you know that there are many reasons you might be dizzy? Or that there are different types of dizziness? .

There are 3 different systems that play a role in our sense of balance:

1. Visual – we orient our world according to our vision. When our tracking gets off your eyes don’t following moving objects well and jump to try and guess where it is going! Problem is, when the object isn’t where you predicted, your eyes quickly bounce back to the object creating a quick movement that often can cause dizziness.

2. Inner Ear (our vestibular system) – this is the most common thought when folks are dizzy. The inner ear has hair cells in the canals (each canal gives the brain information about how the head is moving). There is fluid in the inner ear that pushes the hair cells side to side which sends a signal to the brain about movement direction and speed. These hair cells have a crystal that weights the end of them to make them easier to move. Sometimes these crystals can break off and roll around in the canal, which moves the water and the other hair cells telling the brain the head is moving when it really isn’t. This is true vertigo and gives you that spinning sensation.

3. Your joints and muscle – this gives you information about where your body is in space, something known as proprioception. If you have limited motion in a joint or muscle, your brain isn’t getting as good of information about where you are at in space, leading to loss of awareness or position and dizziness. . Often, there are multiple reasons you might be dizzy- if your visual tracking is off, and you have impaired proprioception then that can make you dizzy, if you have poor visual tracking and inner ear issues, this can cause dizziness.

We treat this in physical therapy! Often, it is a quick fix and can make all the difference in the world to making your quality of life better. I’ve had patients who have put up with dizziness/vertigo for years to finally have it resolved – it makes a huge difference. Don’t put it off! If you have questions about this- we would be happy to answer them, we offer a free Discovery Visit to sit down and chat about your symptoms to see if PT is a good fit. If this is something you are interested in, you can sign up below!

 

Chandler Physical Therapy is a family owned and operated Physical Therapy clinic in Chandler, Arizona. We treat active adults who are looking to keep themselves pain free and active through exercise and healthy living.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and ask or, we have a Free Discovery Visit (Half Hour) that allows you to sit down, one on one with a therapist to discuss what you have going on to find out if physical therapy is a good fit for you. Check it out below:

Would you like to Request a Discovery Visit?

Not sure what road to take?
This FREE, 30 minute, one-on-one evaluation is where one of our amazing therapists will sit down with you, get your story and your background and then run through a series of specific movement and strength tests so you know whether physical therapy is a good path for you!