Find Your Balance: Physiotherapy for Dizziness and Vertigo
We have all experienced the unsettling sensation of being dizzy at some point—feeling as if you can’t focus, see straight, or stand upright without swaying. You might even experience a moment of “tunnel vision” where your periphery goes dark for a few seconds.
While dizziness is incredibly common and often temporary, true vertigo is a different experience entirely. If you feel as though you or the room around you is physically spinning or rocking even when you are sitting perfectly still, you are likely dealing with a physiological imbalance.
Both conditions can severely hinder your daily life, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. At Encore Physiotherapy and Wellness, our specialized vestibular rehabilitation programs are designed to help you regain your stability and your confidence.
Dizziness vs. Vertigo: What is the Difference?
| Feature | Dizziness | Vertigo |
| Primary Sensation | Lightheadedness, feeling woozy or faint, unsteadiness. | A false sensation of movement; feeling like the room is spinning or rocking. |
| Visual Symptoms | Momentarily impaired vision (e.g., tunnel vision). | Inability to focus, double vision, or abnormal, jerking eye movements (nystagmus). |
| Physical Symptoms | Heavy-headedness, general loss of balance. | Nausea, vomiting, sweating, or sudden difficulty walking/standing. |
Common Causes of Dizziness
Dizziness is typically a symptom of an external factor or a temporary internal shift. Common causes include:
Lack of sleep or extreme overexertion.
Poor nutrition or dehydration.
A physical ailment, such as a head cold, sinus infection, or the flu.
Sudden drops in blood pressure (like standing up too quickly after an extended period of rest).
Understanding the Causes of Vertigo
Vertigo is most commonly caused by an issue within the inner ear, known as the vestibular system. This intricate system helps you maintain your balance by sending constant messages to your brain regarding your head’s position and movement. When this system is impaired, those messages get scrambled.
Common causes of vertigo include:
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): The most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear break loose and migrate into the ear canals. This triggers sudden, intense spinning sensations when you move your head.
Meniere’s Disease: A buildup of fluid in the inner ear that causes severe waves of dizziness (often lasting hours), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and temporary hearing loss.
Vestibular Neuritis: An inner-ear viral infection that causes prolonged, severe vertigo.
Vestibular Migraines: Migraines that directly impact the vestibular system, causing vertigo coupled with intense sensitivity to light or sound.
Post-Stroke Recovery: Because a stroke affects the central nervous system, you may experience lingering waves of vertigo as you recover.
Get Back on Your Feet with Vestibular Rehabilitation
Recovery from severe vertigo requires specialized care, and Encore Physiotherapy and Wellness is proud to be one of the select practices offering advanced Vestibular Rehabilitation.
Through cutting-edge methods and thorough evaluations, we determine the exact cause of your symptoms. Your personalized treatment plan may include:
The Epley Maneuver: A highly effective, guided series of head movements designed to safely reposition displaced calcium crystals in BPPV patients.
Cawthorne-Cooksey Exercises: Targeted head and eye movements that decrease nerve sensitivity and train your brain to compensate for inner-ear deficits.
Balance Retraining: Safe, supervised exercises to reduce your fall risk and rebuild your spatial confidence.
Ready to Stop the Spinning?
Don’t let dizziness or vertigo hold you back from living your normal daily life. Our dedicated therapists are here to provide the exceptional, personalized care you need to rediscover your joy.
Schedule your vestibular assessment at our 809 Victoria St N, Kitchener clinic today.Or, reach out to our team at clinic@encorephysiotherapy.ca to get started!