Feeling dizzy, unsteady, or experiencing the disorienting spinning sensation of vertigo can disrupt every aspect of your life. It’s a deeply unsettling feeling, but you are not alone, and effective treatment is available. At Union Physical Therapy, our Doctors of Physical Therapy are specialists in vestibular rehabilitation. We are dedicated to accurately diagnosing the root cause of your symptoms and providing a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan to help you regain your balance, stability, and confidence.
A Specialized Approach to Diagnosing Your Dizziness
Your sense of balance is a sophisticated partnership between your inner ear (the vestibular system), your vision, and your body’s sense of position (proprioception). When this system is compromised, it can lead to a wide range of debilitating symptoms.
Our process begins with listening. Your first visit is a comprehensive, one-on-one evaluation where we take the time to understand your specific symptoms, what triggers them, and how they impact your daily life. We then perform specialized diagnostic tests, such as infrared goggle testing, to observe your eye movements and pinpoint the precise cause of your condition. This thorough assessment allows us to differentiate between various inner ear disorders and develop the most effective treatment strategy.
Conditions We Successfully Treat with Vestibular Rehabilitation
Our Seattle vestibular therapists have advanced training in treating a variety of balance and inner ear disorders.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo, creating intense, brief spinning sensations with movements like rolling over in bed, tilting your head, or looking up. It occurs when tiny calcium crystals (otoconia) in the inner ear become dislodged and float into a canal where they don’t belong, sending false motion signals to the brain.¹
Vestibular Hypofunction
This condition involves a weakened or impaired inner ear system on one side (unilateral) or both (bilateral). It can be caused by infections, aging, or certain medications and often results in persistent dizziness, gaze instability (trouble focusing while moving), and a general sense of imbalance.²
Post-Concussion Syndrome
Dizziness, imbalance, and visual disturbances are very common following a concussion. Vestibular therapy is a critical component of a successful recovery, helping to recalibrate the connection between the brain, eyes, and inner ear to reduce symptoms and facilitate a return to normal activity.³
Other Vestibular and Balance Conditions
- Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis
- Ménière’s Disease
- Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
- General imbalance and gait instability leading to fall risk
Your Personalized Vestibular Treatment Plan
At Union PT, your care is always delivered by a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We utilize proven, evidence-based techniques tailored specifically to your diagnosis.
- Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers: For BPPV, we use specific, gentle head and body movements like the
- Epley Maneuver: These techniques have an extremely high success rate, often resolving vertigo completely in just one or two sessions by guiding the displaced crystals back to their correct location.¹
- Gaze Stabilization Exercises: We will guide you through exercises designed to retrain your brain’s ability to coordinate eye and head movements. This helps improve focus and reduce dizziness during activities like walking, driving, or shopping.
- Habituation Exercises: For individuals whose dizziness is triggered by specific movements or environments (like busy stores), we introduce these stimuli in a controlled, gradual manner. This helps desensitize your nervous system and reduce the intensity of your symptoms over time.
- Balance and Gait Training: We use a variety of targeted exercises to challenge and improve your body’s balance systems.
This training improves your stability, enhances your confidence during walking and other daily activities, and significantly reduces your risk of falling.
Begin Your Recovery in Seattle Today
You do not have to navigate the challenges of dizziness and vertigo alone. The expert team at Union Physical Therapy is here to provide the specialized care you need to find lasting relief. Contact our Seattle clinic today to schedule your comprehensive evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vestibular Therapy
How long does it take to see results from vestibular rehabilitation?
The recovery timeline varies based on your diagnosis. For BPPV, many patients experience complete resolution in just 1-3 visits. For other conditions like vestibular hypofunction or post-concussion syndrome, a course of therapy lasting several weeks is common to achieve maximum recovery and long-term results.
Is a physician referral required for vestibular therapy?
Washington is a direct access state, meaning you do not need a physician’s referral to see a physical therapist for an evaluation and treatment. We will communicate with your primary care physician to ensure a collaborative approach to your care.
What should I expect at my first vestibular therapy appointment?
Your first visit will be a comprehensive 45-minute evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. It will include a detailed discussion of your symptoms, a review of your medical history, and a series of physical tests to assess your eye movements, balance, and inner ear function. Based on the findings, your therapist will explain your diagnosis and begin treatment.
Patient Testimonials
References
Bhattacharyya, N., Gubbels, S. P., Schwartz, S. R., et al. (2017). Clinical Practice Guideline: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (Update). Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 156(3_suppl), S1-S47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599816689667
Hall, C. D., Herdman, S. J., & Whitney, S. L. (2010). Vestibular Rehabilitation. Current Opinion in Neurology, 23(1), 86-91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20007817/
Alsalaheen, B. A., Mucha, A., Morris, L. O., et al. (2013). Vestibular rehabilitation for dizziness and balance disorders after concussion. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, 37(2), 87-93. https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0b013e3182949069
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Understand BPPV, Learn BPPV “exercises”, and Overcome Vertigo When Lying Down or Getting Up.- What is BPPV? BPPV stands for Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo. It is also referred to simply as “positional vertigo” and is the name of a condition which causes temporary episodes of dizziness with certain head movements. The problem originates […]