While nearly everyone experiences dizziness at one time or another, persistent feelings of unsteadiness or spinning sensations may indicate you have a balance disorder. At Momentum Physical Therapy, located in the Sawtelle neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, Tanya Balakrishnan, MPT and her team offer customized plans to improve your balance and reduce dizziness. They use the latest techniques in balance retraining to address the underlying cause of your balance disorder to reduce your risk for fall-related injuries. Find relief from symptoms of a balance disorder by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.
Balance Disorders Q & A
What is a balance disorder?
A balance disorder is a condition that causes you to feel dizzy and unsteady on your feet. Even when you’re sitting or lying down, you may feel as if you’re constantly in motion, spinning, or floating. When walking, a balance disorder can make you feel as though you’re about to tip over or fall.
Common causes of a balance disorder include:
- Neuropathy
- Age-related changes in your joints
- Stroke
- Recent surgery
- Muscle imbalance
- Use of certain medications
Underlying conditions that affect the health of your inner ear or your brain may, like stroke and Meniere’s disease, can also lead to a balance disorder. Issues affecting your inner ear can result in recurrent vertigo, which can increase your risk of falls and painful injuries.
While a balance disorder can affect anyone at any age, the condition is more common in older people or those who undergo surgery.
What are the symptoms of a balance disorder?
A common symptom of a balance disorder is dizziness or vertigo – a spinning sensation that makes you feel as if you might fall.
As a result of a balance disorder, you may also experience:
- Difficulty getting out of a chair or your car
- Difficulty stepping off curb or climbing stairs
- Feeling disoriented
- Staggering when walking
- Falls at home or in the community
Due to the dizziness and general feelings of imbalance, you may also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. For those prone to anxiety, these feelings can increase your sense of panic and fear.
How does physical therapy treat balance disorders?
The goals of physical therapy for treating balance disorders are to reduce your risk for falls and associated injuries and to help you rebalance your body.
The team at Momentum Physical Therapy offers customized therapy plans that can address the root cause of your balance issues. Their therapists will supervise you in balance re-education exercises and therapeutic exercises to restore proper joint ROM and muscle imbalances that are contributing to your balance dysfunction.
Our goal is to improve your ability to walk, stand, negotiate stairs or curbs and function safely in your home and the community. In addition to physical therapy, you may also need to make lifestyle changes and take medications to address underlying health conditions, like inner ear infections. Please consult with your physician to discuss your medication regimen.
If your quality of life is negatively affected by recurrent bouts of dizziness or if you already have a diagnosis of a balance disorder, discuss your options for physical therapy by calling Momentum Physical Therapy or requesting an appointment online today.