Vertigo is the sensation of spinning. Even when you're perfectly still, you might feel like you're moving or that the room is moving around you. One of the most common forms of vertigo is an inner ear problem that causes short periods of a spinning sensation when your head is moved in certain positions. Many conditions can produce vertigo, including migraines, head injury, acoustic neuroma tumors, and others.
Your physical therapist will perform tests to determine the causes of your vertigo and also to assess your risk of falling. Based on your physical therapist's evaluation and your goals for recovery, the therapist will customize a treatment plan for you. The specific treatments will depend on the cause of your vertigo. Your therapist's main focus is to help you get moving again, prevent falls, and manage the vertigo at the same time. Treatment may include specialized head and neck movements or other exercises to help eliminate your symptoms. Conditions such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) have very specific tests and treatments.
