Vertigo

Symptoms may be mild for example a very brief episode of unsteadiness, like when you have just stepped off a boat or they may be severe and very debilitating where you feel you are falling, unsteady on your feet or experience nausea and may last for a number of days.

The symptoms of vertigo include: dizziness, nausea or vomiting, loss of balance or difficulty walking, blurred vision, decreased concentration, brain "fuzziness" or fatigue.

Most commonly vertigo is caused by a problem in your inner ear, which is the area that assists with balance.

There can be many different causes for vertigo including but not limited to:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): calcium carbonate crystals which are usually embedded into gel in one part of your ear, dislodge and freely float in the fluid of the middle ear
• Migraines
• Infection of the inner ear
• Inflammation of the vestibular nerve

Depending on the cause of your vertigo, your Physiotherapist might assess your neck or perform some special tests to check your inner ear and balance. If your Physiotherapist believes your symptoms are coming from your neck then some gentle movements to mobilize your joints or loosen the surrounding muscles can be helpful. If it is related to BPPV, your Physiotherapist with perform a manoeuvre to help guide the crystals back into the chamber where they are supposed to be.