DIZZINESS CLINIC

Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people will visit a doctor, with most people suffering dizziness at some stage in their lives. It can be a very scary, disconcerting phenomenon that leaves people feeling unsteady, uncertain and anxious. Depending on the reason for the dizziness, it can either be short lasting or some people can have dizziness that is constant. Thankfully, with thorough assessment and diagnosis, we can help you re-train and recalibrate your vestibular (balance) system to help treat the dizziness. 

Vestibular disorders are so often misdiagnosed and therefore mismanaged and mistreated, therefore leaving people frustrated and confused. Our team of experts, however, are extensively trained in vestibular disorders and will help you find the cause of your dizziness and provide you with a detailed plan to help get you back on track. Treatment can include a combination of hands on therapy to remove any physical dysfunctions that are contributing to your condition, vestibular rehabilitation exercises personalised to your condition to help re-calibrate the balance system of your brain as cognitive exercises to help retrain the brain that what it is sensing as dangerous is in fact, not dangerous. 

What is the vestibular system made up of and how do I get dizzy?
The vestibular apparatus is comprised of the inner ear which includes the utricle, saccule and three semi-circular canals. The utricle and saccule detect gravity and linear movements whilst the semicircular canals detect rotational movement. When the vestibular apparatus are operating functionally on both sides of the head, they send symmetrical impulses to the brain.
 
Sensory receptor in the eyes known as rods and cones assist in our balance as they send impulses to the brain that provide visual cues helping a person to identify how they are oriented relative to other objects.
 
Proprioceptive information is also important for our sense of balance. We receive this sensory information from our skin, muscles and joints that are sensitive to stretch or pressure in the surrounding tissues. The sensors in the neck and ankles are particularly important as the proprioceptive signals from the neck indicate which direction the head is turned and signals from the ankles indicate to the body the nature and quality of the standing surface (e.g. firm, soft, slippery etc.).
 
Balance information from these three systems are then sent and processed by the brainstem. 

We get dizzy when information from these centers becomes mismatched. Therefore in order to decrease the dizziness, we need to recalibrate these systems so that their information, once again, is in harmony. 

If you are sick of living with dizziness, call us now on (03) 9486 7543 to start your journey towards a life without dizziness and speak with us about how we can help you.

For treatment for all dizziness conditions, see Dr Beth (osteopath) and/or Dr Kevin (osteopath). We can't wait to help you!