Breaking down balance & shining a spotlight on vestibular rehabilitation
Ever feel dizzy or lightheaded? Experience vertigo or blurry vision? You’re not alone. One recent study from the National Institutes of Health showed that as many as 69 million Americans have experienced some type of balance issue in their lifetime. However, what many of those 69 million don’t know is that there are treatment options available…and they’re offered in many of our very own clinics.
And in honor of National Balance Awareness Week, we chatted with two of our East Coast physical therapists, Lauren Dillion (Langhorne, PA) and Ryan Kardos (Milford, DE), who are both certified vestibular therapists. They helped us break down balance, explaining how it works, what causes issues, and what people who suffer from balance disorders can do.
How our balance works
(Warning: This is about to get pretty technical!) The vestibular labyrinth, a maze-like structure made up of bone, fluid, and soft tissue found in the inner ear, contributes to and helps controls an individual’s sense of balance. The semicircular canals and otolithic organs are located on one end of the labyrinth and the cochlea, which controls hearing, on the other. These parts of the inner ear make up the vestibular system, which works with other systems in our body, like the visual system (eyes) and skeletal system (bones and joints) to help us maintain our balance.
What upsets balance
Lauren explains that there are many types of vestibular disorders that can affect balance. In addition to inner ear issues, dizziness and balance disorders may be caused by heart problems, head injury, medication, and circulation. Elderly individuals may also develop disorders because of their delayed reaction times.
One common type of vestibular disorder is BPPV, which occurs when tiny crystals in the ear get knocked loose from hair cells, therefore resulting in episodes of vertigo.
“In some cases, we can treat BPPV and crystals in the ear in one to two visits,” Lauren said. “Of course, that’s not the case for everyone, but vestibular therapy can truly help patients minimize their symptoms and be able to live everyday life.”
Ryan also recognized that vestibular therapy can help individuals get back to living life in a safer and more independent way.
“A lot of times, vestibular patients have trouble moving their head because they’ll become dizzy if they do,” Ryan said. “But, it’s important that they regain that function so that they don’t injure themselves from constantly turning their whole body.”
What to do about balance disorders
Vestibular rehabilitation can help retrain the brain to reinterpret information, Lauren said. By using a series of exercises, from eye exercises to head repositioning to fall risk management, vestibular rehabilitation can help restore a patient’s balance and help them get them back to their highest level of function.
“Many time, patients just don’t understand what’s happening or why they have these symptoms,” Ryan said. “It’s very rewarding to work with someone and to see those symptoms to be minimized or disappear.”
Lauren agrees.
“People come in scared and frustrated because they’ve been restricting themselves due to their balance disorders,” Dillon said. “Sometimes, rotational vertigo can even make people feel like they’re having a stroke, and they’ll seriously feel like they’re dying. Through rehab, we can minimize their symptoms, and literally change their lives.”