Tag Archives: Dizziness

neck pain, Neck pain Treatment Mississauga, Physiotherapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Vestibular Rehabilitation

Cervicogenic Dizziness: Can Physiotherapy Help Vertigo?

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What is cervicogenic dizziness?

Cervicogenic dizziness is a type of vertigo or imbalance that originates from dysfunction in the neck, particularly the cervical spine. Unlike inner ear (vestibular) or neurological dizziness, this form of dizziness is related to how your brain interprets signals from the muscles, joints, and nerves in your neck.

Key characteristics include:

  • A sensation of unsteadiness or disorientation
  • Dizziness triggered by neck movements or poor posture
  • Often accompanied by neck pain, stiffness, or headaches

What causes it?

People who have cervicogenic dizziness will complain about issues with their neck as well.

The upper cervical spine has rich sensory input that communicates with your brain to help control balance and spatial awareness. When there’s an injury (like whiplash), chronic poor posture (like from prolonged screen use and/or desk work), or joint dysfunction, the brain may receive conflicting signals — leading to dizziness.

Common causes include:

  • Whiplash injuries (common from motor vehicle accidents)
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Cervical spondylosis
  • Muscle tension or strain

How does Physiotherapy help?

Physiotherapy plays a vital role in both diagnosing and treating cervicogenic dizziness. A comprehensive assessment will include a detailed history, postural evaluation, and specific tests to rule out vestibular or neurological causes.

Treatment typically includes:

1. Manual therapy

Gentle joint mobilizations and soft tissue techniques can help restore normal movement and reduce muscle tension in the neck

2. Postural retraining

Improving posture through targeted exercises and ergonomic advice can reduce strain on the cervical spine. This includes things like reducing sedentary time, taking regular breaks from desk work, or adjusting the setup of your work station.

3. Vestibular rehabilitation

In cases where the inner ear also plays a role, vestibular exercises may be incorporated to improve balance and coordination

4. Neck strengthening and mobility exercises

Gradual strengthening and stretching of the neck muscles help support proper function and reduce symptoms over time

5. Education and self-management

Understanding the condition and learning strategies to manage flare-ups empowers our patients and promotes long-term recovery and maintenance

What can I do to manage cervicogenic dizziness at home?

  • Maintain a neutral neck position, especially when using screens
  • Take frequent breaks from sitting to stretch and move
  • Use a supportive pillow that keeps your neck in alignment at night
  • Avoid quick or jerky head movements
  • Practice stress management techniques to reduce muscle tension

Looking for help with dizziness or neck pain?

Look no further than PhysioNow! Our expert Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, and Manual Osteopaths can help you recover from your problems, whether it is a pain, injury, or other. With 10 locations across the GTA and free parking, we are the right location for you! Book with us today for your first assessment and treatment!

Falls Prevention, Physiotherapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation

Dizziness Holding You Back? Vestibular Physiotherapy Can Help!

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Feelings of dizziness can significantly interfere with your life and limit you from doing many of your normal activities. Many people are unaware of Vestibular Physiotherapy, and how it can help treat dizziness, sometimes immediately! Currently, most people when experiencing dizziness will go to seek medical attention. Unfortunately, one study showed only 8% of individuals received effective treatment in this route. In this blog, we will discuss Vestibular Physiotherapy, a lesser known specialty of Physiotherapy.

Vestibular System and Dizziness

Our vestibular systems, composed of the inner ear and the brain, are responsible for our awareness of head and eye movements and positions. If there is a mismatch between the sensory information and how it gets integrated into the brain, feelings of dizziness and vertigo (feeling like the room is spinning around you) may occur.

What is causing the dizziness?

Dizziness is a symptom of many different conditions. It is always worth going to see a medical professional to rule out more serious causes of dizziness such as stroke and other cardiovascular or neurological conditions. Fortunately, an easily treatable condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of dizziness. In other cases, there may be a dysfunction of the system, especially with aging. Luckily, Vestibular Physiotherapists are experts at assessing and treating all kinds of vestibular disorders.

Vestibular Physiotherapy

This is a specialty of physiotherapy that is specifically focused on vestibular system rehabilitation to treat dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems. Depending on the cause of your dizziness, different strategies and treatments may be employed. For example, depending on your specific impairments:

  1. Positioning maneuvers: If the condition is BPPV, certain procedures like the Epley or Semont maneuver have very high success rates within just a single session at resolving symptoms
  2. Manual therapy: The neck is always assessed in vestibular patients and can be a common source of symptoms like dizziness, disequilibrium and headaches
  3. Gaze stabilization exercises: Improves an individual’s ability to fixate their eyes while the head is moving
  4. Balance training: Using both stable and unstable surfaces to retrain the vestibular system and reduce the risk of falls
  5. Habituation exercises: Steadily reduce the symptoms of dizziness or vertigo by exposing the patient to triggers. Consequently, the brain adapts over time

Getting Started with Physiotherapy

Whether your symptoms have been present for a short or long time, Vestibular Physiotherapy can help you improve. Get started today with PhysioNow! We have an expert team of Registered Physiotherapists with training in Vestibular Rehabilitation. Emergency same-day appointments are available with clinics across the GTA including Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga and Etobicoke. Book with us today for your first assessment and treatment!

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Vertigo

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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV)

Vertigo

Vestibular Systems
• Comprises five sensory organs that provide your brain with information about head position and movements including head rotation, linear movements and static positions of the head relative to gravity
• Five sensory organs including 3 semicircular canals and 2 otoliths

 

BPPV is a mechanical problem in the inner ear. It occurs when some of the  crystals that are normally embaded in gel in the ear become dislodged.  They then can move into one or more of the 3-fluid filled semicircular canals.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV) is  one  of the most common causes of vertigo. It creates a false sensation of spinning.
• Benign: it is not life threatening
• Paroxysmal: it comes in sudden, brief spells
• Positional: it gets triggered by certain head positions or movements
• Vertigo: a false sensation of rotational movement

 

Symptoms
a)      Dizziness
b)      Vertigo (sensation of spinning)
c)       Nausea
d)      Sense of imbalance or unsteadiness
e)      Poor gaze stability
f)       Vision disturbance

Visual Coordination screening

 

Diagnosis

• The relationship between the inner ears and the eye muscles are what normally allows us to stay focused on our environment while the head is moving.  The dislodged crystals make the brain think you are moving when  you are not. This mistakenly causes the eyes to move, which makes it look like the room is spinning. This is called Nystagmus.

• The Nystagmus will have different characteristics that allow the practitioner to identify which ear the displaced crystals are in and which canal is involved.
• The most common tests are DIX hall pike and Roll test.
• There are two types of  BBPV.  One type, where the loose crystals can move freely in the fluid of the canal(canalithiasis). The more rare type is one where the crystals are thought to be hung up on the bundle of nerves that sense the fluid movement(cupulolithiasis).

Physiotherapy Treatment
• One maneuver that is used for the most common location and type of BPPV is called the Epley maneuver. However , that will not work for all people . Often people have tried the Epley maneuver themselves or had it performed on them without success.
• In the vast majority cases, BPPV can be corrected mechanically by a Registered Physiotherapist. Once your  provider knows which canal is involved and what type it is , we can take you through the appropriate treatment maneuver.

Check out this video for an example of the  Epley Maneuver.  Please do not attempt this yourself until you have been properly assessed and screened by one of our Registered Physiotherapists to see if this maneuver will be appropriate for your condition!

If you have any further questions, please call PhysioNow today! Our experienced Vestibular Physiotherapists would be happy to help you.