Dizziness, Vertigo, or Feeling Unsteady? You Might Have a Vestibular Problem.

Do you feel the room spinning when you change positions or turn in bed? Or maybe you've been dealing with dizziness and that floating head feeling for months now. You’re bouncing from doctor to doctor, trying YouTube exercises that only make things worse, or taking medication that just masks the symptoms without actually fixing anything.

If this sounds familiar, you're likely dealing with vestibular dysfunction. While it's incredibly disruptive, it's also very treatable when you get the right assessment and approach.

Your vestibular system controls your balance, your sense of position in space, and your eye movement. When it's not working properly, it affects everything from your ability to move confidently, your work, your social life, and even your confidence doing the activities you love.

What Is Vestibular Dysfunction?

The vestibular system is located in your inner ear and works closely with your eyes, brain, and body to keep you balanced and oriented. When something disrupts this system, your brain receives conflicting signals that can leave you feeling dizzy, unsteady, or even nauseous.

Sometimes, it can be a sudden issue like BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), an inner ear infection, or a longer-standing balance disorder.

Common symptoms of vestibular dysfunction include:

• Sudden or gradual onset of dizziness or vertigo (room spinning sensation).

• Feeling unsteady or off-balance when walking.

• A floating or disconnected head sensation.

• Nausea or dizziness triggered by certain head movements or positions.

• Difficulty focusing your eyes, especially when moving your head.

• Avoiding certain movements, positions, or situations that trigger symptoms.

• Anxiety about symptoms getting worse or losing your balance.

• Fatigue from your brain working overtime to compensate.

Why See a Physiotherapist for Vestibular Issues?

Vestibular physiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for dizziness and balance disorders, yet it's often the last thing people try after months of frustration.

Your GP might prescribe anti-nausea medication to help you cope. However, medication doesn't treat the root cause; it just manages the symptom. You might have tried at-home maneuvers you found on YouTube, like the Epley maneuver for BPPV, but doing them incorrectly can actually make things worse or miss the real issue entirely.

A vestibular physiotherapist is trained to assess exactly what type of vestibular dysfunction you have, where it's coming from, and how to treat it.

At Shape Physio Melbourne, vestibular assessment and treatment are precise, thorough, and tailored to your specific condition. Each case needs to be treated differently, and the approach reflects that.

What Does Vestibular Treatment Look Like at Shape Physio?

Your first appointment includes a comprehensive vestibular assessment to pinpoint what's actually going on. This can include:

• Testing your balance and how your body responds to different positions and movements.

• Assessing your eye movement and how well your eyes and vestibular system are working together.

• Testing for positional vertigo (like BPPV) using specific diagnostic maneuvers.

• Understanding your history, habits, and contributing factors like stress, previous injuries, or ear infections.

• Evaluating your neck and posture, as these are closely connected to vestibular function.

From there, treatment is tailored to your specific diagnosis and may include:

• Vestibular rehabilitation exercises to retrain your balance and reduce dizziness.

• Repositioning maneuvers (like the Epley) performed correctly for BPPV.

• Gaze stabilization exercises to improve eye movement and reduce visual dizziness.

• Balance retraining and confidence-building exercises.

• Education on managing triggers, avoiding symptom flare-ups, and returning to normal activities.

• A personalized home exercise program to maintain your progress.

Most patients notice significant improvement within a few weeks and can return to the activities they've been avoiding.

Frequently Asked Questions