Vertigo

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is often used to describe a condition in which you and/or the room is spinning. Episodes can vary significantly in both duration and intensity and are triggered by different activities and movements. Vertigo symptoms can have a profound impact on your daily life and limit your ability to do the things you enjoy.

What causes Vertigo?

Vertigo is often caused by conditions that directly affect the vestibular system. The vestibular system sits within your inner ear and consists of the semi-circular canals and the Otoliths (utricle and saccule). This vestibular system is constantly relaying information into your brain to help process your balance and coordinate head and eye movements. Given the importance of your vestibular system on your overall balance and control, dysfunctions within this system can have a profound effect on how you feel.

It can also be caused by conditions where your body’s balance systems are not relaying the exact same information back to your brain. These symptoms alongside your vestibular system also include your joint and muscle positional awareness (knowing where your hand is positioned, even though you’re not looking at it), and your eyes.

Dysfunction of any or all of these three systems can cause dizziness or impaired balance.

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Symptoms

• Vertigo
• Dizziness/feeling of imbalance
• Light headedness
• Motion sickness
• Increased anxiety
• Disequilibrium – feeling unsteady while walking 

Common conditions associated with Vertigo

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
• Vestibular hypofunction
• Vestibular migraines
• Meniere’s disease
• Cervicogenic dizziness
• Aged related loss of balance

How can QLD TMJ & Headache Centre help?

No matter the severity of your symptoms we at the Queensland TMJ & Headache Centre are here to help. We are experts in assessing and treating vestibular and balance dysfunctions. All patients will undergo a full assessment to determine the likely source of their symptoms. We take the time to carefully explain your condition and equip you with a thorough rehabilitation program from day one. If required for more serious pathologies, some patients may need to undertake additional testing which will be referred back via their GP or specialist.

Treatment of vertigo dysfunctions at the Queensland TMJ & Headache Centre is dependent on each individual’s symptoms, however, may include;

• BBPV/Epley’s maneuver to help remove the crystals from the semicircular canals of the ears
• Balance retraining including balance process retraining
• Head eye coordination exercises
• Cervicogenic (neck) mobility treatment
• Cervicogenic (neck) strengthening and joint awareness retraining