Vestibular Treatment in Richmond Hill
SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTHave you ever stood up too quickly and felt dizzy? Or maybe you’ve felt like the room was spinning when it wasn’t? These experiences are often linked to your inner ear and can be signs of a vestibular problem. Vestibular therapy is designed to help people who suffer from these kinds of balance and dizziness issues. Let’s dive into what vestibular therapy is, who needs it, and what happens during therapy sessions.
What is Vestibular Therapy?
Vestibular therapy is a type of physical therapy that focuses on your vestibular system. This system is a part of your inner ear that helps control your balance and spatial orientation. If something goes wrong with this system, you might experience dizziness, vertigo, or problems with balance and coordination. Vestibular therapy aims to help you regain your balance and reduce symptoms of dizziness.
Who Needs Vestibular Therapy?
Many people can experience vertigo (spinning) but not all conditions can be treated with vestibular therapy. A trained vestibular therapist will assess you properly and tell you what is causing your vertigo. Then he/she will know what treatment and/or exercises will help you.
How Does Vestibular Therapy Work?
The goal of vestibular therapy is to improve balance and reduce dizziness through a variety of exercises. These exercises are designed to retrain your brain and body to process balance-related information better. The therapy often involves head and eye movements, balance training, and exercises that challenge your coordination.
Your therapist will start by assessing your condition to understand what’s causing your symptoms. Based on this assessment, they will create a customized treatment plan for you. This plan might include exercises to improve your gaze stability, balance exercises, and even some maneuvers to reposition crystals in your inner ear that might be causing vertigo.
What Happens in Vestibular Therapy?
During vestibular therapy, you’ll work with a trained therapist who will guide you through various exercises. Some common exercises include:
Gaze Stabilization Exercises: These involve focusing on a target while moving your head. The goal is to train your eyes to stay focused even when your head moves.
Balance Exercises: These help improve your stability and coordination. They might involve standing on one foot, walking heel-to-toe, or using a balance board.
Repositioning Maneuvers: If your vertigo is caused by displaced crystals in your inner ear (a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV), the therapist might perform specific maneuvers to move the crystals back to their correct position.
Risks and Benefits of Vestibular Therapy
Vestibular therapy is generally safe, but it can sometimes cause temporary symptoms like dizziness or nausea during the exercises. These effects usually subside quickly. The benefits of vestibular therapy can be significant, helping you regain your balance and reduce dizziness.
What Can I Expect After the Therapy?
After vestibular therapy, you can expect improved balance and a reduction in dizziness symptoms. You might also find that you’re more confident in your movements and less likely to fall. Depending on your condition, you may need to continue with some exercises at home to maintain the benefits.
Overall, vestibular therapy is a powerful tool for anyone struggling with balance issues or dizziness. If you think you might benefit from this therapy, talk to a healthcare provider to learn more and see if it’s the right fit for you.
(905) 709-7147
info@chirophysio16th.com
1455 16th Avenue, Unit 10
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3G6
Frequently Asked Questions
What is going to happen at my first appointment?
- When you arrive you will meet our staff at the front of the office. They will give you a short form to fill out with your past medical history.
- Meet your Doctor/Therapist - He/She will ask you questions about your current health, your spine, muscles, joints, or related nervous system issues. If you have any reports, i.e. X-Rays, Ultrasound or MRI, bring them with you.
- Testing - Next your chiropractor/physiotherapist may perform some tests.
- Treatment - Finally, your doctor/therapist will give you a full report of the findings and a detailed treatment plan designed just for you. After this, you will have your very first treatment. You should expect all of this to take about one hour.
How long will my next appointments take?
Everyone has a different treatment time based upon the injury and the kind of treatment that is needed. On average we recommend that you allow for 20-30 minutes from the time you enter the office.
How many treatments do I need?
At the end of your first appointment your doctor/therapist will give you a written copy of your treatment plan that will include the number of treatments that he/she feels is required for you to recover and achieve your personal goals.
Is physiotherapy covered by OHIP?
There are some clinics that have publicly funded OHIP physiotherapy. Our services are not covered by OHIP. We are a private clinic and we provide hands-on treatment directly by a registered physiotherapist. In most cases we can help you by billing insurance companies directly for you.
I have private health insurance – can you bill them directly for physiotherapy/chiropractic?
If you have coverage for physiotherapy or chiropractic – just check with your agent to find out if you need a doctor’s prescription before you start your treatments. In MANY cases it's not necessary and you can make your appointment directly to see one of us. Bring all your insurance information with you to your first appointment. We will find out if we can bill directly so you don’t have to pay out of pocket. If we cannot then we will give you a paid receipt that you can send to your insurance company and they will pay you back.
Where are you located?
We are at the corner of Leslie and 16th avenue in the heart of north Richmond Hill. We are five minutes west of 404 and 16th avenue. We have free street level parking. The clinic is also located on the ground floor of a plaza that faces 16th avenue.
What should i wear for my appointments?
You should wear comfortable clothing so that you can expose the area of your injury. You also have the option to wear a hospital gown that will be provided to you. In the winter you can bring indoor shoes so you can leave your wet books in the waiting room area.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
Every insurance plan is different. Some of them do require that you have a doctor’s note for you to use your benefits. Some do not require a note. We suggest that you call your insurance company BEFORE your first appointment.
Who should see a chiropractor?
If you're suffering from poor posture, frequent headaches, muscle and joint pains, and limited limb mobility, seeking chiropractic care is in the best interests of your long-term health and wellness. If you are an athlete you may need care after an acute injury or after repeated training and repetitive movements that affect ligaments/joints/muscles. If you have a chronic or long term illness like arthritis you can benefit from chiropractic care. If you are pregnant, your chiropractor has safe treatments that can help you with pain as you carry your baby. If you have been injured at work you can have chiropractic care to get you back on your feet. If you are a school child with postural issues or scoliosis - you can get help from your chiropractor.
If you have a disc herniations or spinal stenosis or sciatica - you can be treated. Musculoskeletal conditions come in all shapes and sizes and chiropractors are here to help.
When to see a chiropractor?
Ever wonder when to visit a chiropractor? All day long we move our bodies in all directions and make use of our muscles and joints. These normal daily activities may result in headaches, migraines, back, neck or joint pain. You may also have this type of pain due to an injury, accident, illness or long-term condition.
You may decide to take anti-inflammatory medications that may temporarily help your symptoms but may not address the underlying cause. A chiropractor will use their expertise knowledge and orthopedic testing to assess the root cause of your symptoms. He/She will then treat these issues without medication or surgery.
Who Can Benefit From Chiropractic Care?
Everyone!
Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-invasive treatment supporting the body’s musculoskeletal system and associated neurological function, primarily by providing comprehensive, evidence-informed manual therapy. Chiropractic care is primarily a hands-on, non-invasive and drugless practice that is safe and effective for the management of musculoskeletal conditions – from small children to elderly adults to pregnant women to Olympic athletes. Musculoskeletal conditions can range in severity from minor sprains and strains to back and neck pain to disc herniations and spinal stenosis. As mentioned, musculoskeletal conditions can be mild or severe but they can also be acute or chronic, common or rare, and localized to one body region or widespread. Musculoskeletal conditions come in all shapes and sizes and chiropractors are here to help.