Episode 8: Your Spin Doctor, Vestibular Therapy with Emily Beus, DPT
“As long as the world is spinning, we are going to be dizzy and we are going to make mistakes.” Thanks, Mel Brooks, but today’s speaker tells us the mistake is not seeking treatment for the dizziness. In this episode, vestibular therapist Dr. Emily Beus DPT, teaches us about different causes and treatments for the spins, the lightheadedness, or the rocking boat feeling that you’ve been living with (unless of course you actually live on a boat, she can’t help you with that). Join us and learn how to get your head to stop spinning!
Covered in today’s show:
Check in with Mariah and Eryn: What’s one thing you wish you would have known earlier in your brain injury?
What is the vestibular system? A sensory system that provides our brain information about motion and spatial orientation. It maintains our balance, movement, and posture.
Vestibular Rehab: a physical therapy specialty
What to expect with vestibular rehab:
Give a history: really important to describe your dizziness--Lightheaded? Faint? Spinning? Off balance? Rocking? Swaying? Floating? Eyes aren’t tracking right? You might have all of them!
Your therapist will help guide the conversation to help you identify what your symptoms are; it can be hard to find the words but don’t worry they will help you
Your symptoms guide the therapist to what the cause is and what needs to be worked on
Peripheral nervous system issues:
BPPV: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Positions such as rolling, bending, or looking up gives the sensation of vertigo
You don’t need to avoid your triggers for vertigo, see a therapist!! They can fix it (and it usually doesn’t take long). Sometimes you’re fixed that day!
Mechanical problem in your inner ear: the “crystals” are out of place
Treatment involves laying you in a position that triggers symptoms and then moving the head around to move the “crystals” into a better spot
You can be premedicated to help with symptoms if moving into the position is scary to you--work with your doctor and therapist to arrange this
Central nervous system issues
Ocular motor function: looks at how your eyes are moving. Depending on what your eyes do determines if it is a peripheral or central nervous system issue
Nystagmus
Balance assessment: standing still and with walking
Damage to the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls balance, is treatable but takes longer
Acquired Brain Injuries (an injury that happens without a knock to the head or an trauma)
Dizziness might be from blood pressure issues (orthostatic hypotension)
Therapy strategies to work with the changes caused in your brain
Treatment may be slower
Treatment focuses on strategies on how to be safe
Talk to your provider and get an order for physical therapy: great doctors to have on your team are neurologists, PMNR physiatrist; Ear, Nose, Throat doctor (VMG testing that assess the eye movements more in-depth)
Check out these resources!:
www.vestibular.org (VEDA)
Logs that are free to print for tracking symptoms, medications, foods, etc
Lots of educational resources written for patients
Questions? Want to connect? Find Emily on Instagram @DrEmilyBeusPT
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!
If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!
Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast:
Visit the Making Headway Podcast website to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting.
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook.