Treatment of dizziness (vertigo)
Vertigo is an unwanted sensation of spinning and dizziness. You may feel as though you are moving or the environment around you is moving.
Vertigo can increase your risk of falling and injuring yourself. Experiencing dizziness while operating heavy machinery or driving a car can increase the likelihood of an accident. For these reasons, it’s important to seek treatment for dizziness if it becomes ongoing.
Our physiotherapy treatment options can help minimise dizziness so you can start functioning at your best.
Causes of dizziness
There are many causes of dizziness, such as low blood pressure, but the conditions that can benefit from physiotherapy treatment are cervicogenic disequilibrium which is caused by neck joints, and muscles and vestibular neuropathy caused by dysfunction of the vestibules of the inner ear.
- Vertigo
- Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
- Certain Medications
- Anxiety disorders
- Low iron levels (anaemia)
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Overheating and dehydration.
- Drop in blood pressure.
- Poor blood circulation.
What to expect at your appointment
There are a number of different ways of diagnosing vertigo or dizziness, depending on what has caused the condition. Often, we may advise you to have a variety of tests to accurately confirm vertigo/dizziness so that your treatment is as effective as possible. These tests may include:
- Recording a full history of symptoms
- Balancing tests
- Hearing test
- Eye test
- Hallpike’s manoeuvre: a test that temporarily brings on symptoms of vertigo
- Blood tests
- CT/ MRI scans
Treatment options
A full history will be taken and an examination done to determine whether it is treatable with physio intervention.
Physiotherapy treatments may include:
- Vestibular rehabilitation – this includes special exercises designed to get your vestibular system functioning normally again.
- Neck mobilisations
- Balance retraining
- Activity adaptation advice
Request Appointment
Contact Information
- 12 Molteno Road, Oranjezicht, Cape Town, 8001
- [email protected]
- 021 423 6043
- Mon - Thu: 8.30-17.00
