It’s hard to describe what you experience when you’re feeling dizzy. Not being dizzy is a sensation most people take for granted.  But when a momentary feeling of faintness becomes a prolonged period of violent whirling when the world is spinning out of control, nothing can be taken for granted! Your bouts of dizziness may be interfering with your normal activities. You may even be reluctant to leave your home without  a family member or friend.  Perhaps you feel that you may never have a normal life due to this disagreeable situation. Dizziness is not a disease...it is a symptom.  There are many causes of dizziness, but the most common cause is due to changes within the Vestibular system - the inner ear which is concerned with balance and body orientation. Carousel Physical Therapy offers hope to those suffering from balance disorders and Vertigo through Vestibular Rehabilitation and Balance Retraining. 

WHAT IS VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION?   Vestibular Rehabilitation consists of specific exercises designed to:

• decrease or eliminate dizziness       
• improve visual motor control
• increase general activity levels
• increase balance function and safety

The exercise program is designed to either promote central nervous system compensation for Inner Ear deficits or correct pathology contributing to the problem.

WHAT IS BALANCE RETRAINING?  Balance Retraining includes exercises designed to improve coordination of muscle responses as well as the organization of sensory information for balance control.

WHY DO YOU NEED THERAPY?   When you have an inner ear disorder, your brain cannot rely on the information it receives from the Vestibular system.  As a result, you may become very dependent on vision or on the information received from your muscle and joints in order to maintain correct posture and balance.  You have probably learned to carry out you normal daily activities while avoiding head movements at all costs since moving your head is apt to create symptoms of dizziness and nausea.  These adaptations in posture, movement and activity level may seem to be quite helpful in controlling your symptoms.  After all, the less you move, the better you feel - right?...no, wrong! Unfortunately, these adaptations are stressful both physically and mentally and don’t solve the problem!

At Carousel Physical Therapy, a complete evaluation will be done at your first appointment.  Based on the results of the evaluation, the Therapist will either perform various positional maneuvers and/or teach you exercises to help you become aware of incorrect and correct ways to move and improve your balance.  Your Therapist will work with you individually throughout your therapy series.  You will be monitored at intervals until the desired goals have been achieved.  At that time, your Home Exercise Program will be reviewed and/or revised in order that you can maintain your dizzy-free status on a long term basis.