Signs You May Need Vestibular Rehab
Your vestibular system, in your inner ear and brain, tells your body where your head is. It helps keep your vision steady and your balance sure. When it is not working well, everyday movements can leave you feeling dizzy, unsteady or sick to your stomach.
A vestibular assessment may help if you notice:
- A spinning feeling (vertigo) when you roll over in bed, lie down, bend over or look up
- Dizziness or light-headedness when you turn your head quickly
- Feeling unsteady on your feet, or drifting to one side when you walk
- Blurry or bouncing vision when you move your head
- Nausea or a “too much” feeling in busy places like grocery stores or malls
- Headaches, dizziness or fogginess that linger after a head injury
Conditions We Treat
Dizziness has many possible causes, so your first visit focuses on finding the likely source. These are the most common vestibular and balance concerns we see.
BPPV and Positional Vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of vertigo. It happens when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear move out of place and into one of the balance canals. Certain head positions, like rolling over in bed or tipping your head back, then set off short bursts of spinning.
Your physiotherapist uses gentle positional tests to find which canal is involved. They then guide your head through a set series of positions called a canalith repositioning manoeuvre, such as the Epley manoeuvre, which aims to move the crystals back where they belong. Many people notice improvement after one or a few treatments.
Concussion Recovery
A concussion is a brain injury. It can follow a blow to the head, face or neck, or a blow to the body that jars the head. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, neck pain, balance problems, blurred vision, and feeling foggy or tired.
Anyone with a suspected concussion should first be checked by a doctor. Canadian guidance from Parachute recommends a short period of rest (24 to 48 hours), then a gradual, step-by-step return to activity. Physiotherapy can support this with care for neck pain and dizziness, balance and eye-movement exercises, and a graded plan for getting back to school, work and sport. Before you return to full-contact practice or games, you need medical clearance from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Balance and Dizziness Problems
Not all dizziness is BPPV. Inner ear conditions such as vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, neck problems, and changes with age can all affect your balance. Some people stay dizzy long after an inner ear problem has settled, because the brain has not fully adjusted.
Vestibular rehabilitation uses exercises that aim to help your brain adapt, steady your vision and improve your balance. Many people find this helps them feel more confident walking, working and getting out in the community. If your symptoms point to a condition your doctor should manage, such as Ménière’s disease or migraine-related dizziness, we will tell you and can work alongside your medical care.
How Vestibular Physiotherapy Works
Your first visit starts with a conversation about your symptoms: when they began, what sets them off, how long they last, and your medical history. Your physiotherapist then checks your eye movements, balance, walking and neck and, when it is appropriate, does positional tests for BPPV.
Home exercises are a key part of vestibular rehab. Some may bring on mild, short-lived dizziness while your system adjusts. We set the level so it stays manageable and progress it as you improve. Depending on your findings, your plan may include:
- Canalith repositioning manoeuvres, such as the Epley manoeuvre, for BPPV
- Gaze stabilization exercises to help keep your vision steady while your head moves
- Habituation exercises that repeat mild trigger movements in small doses, so they bother you less over time
- Balance and walking training to build steadiness and confidence
- Manual therapy and exercise for neck pain or stiffness that may add to dizziness or headaches
- Education and a graded activity plan for returning to school, work, sport and driving
When to Get Urgent Medical Care
Physiotherapy is not the right first step for every kind of dizziness. If your dizziness is new and unexplained, or you have had a head injury and have not yet seen a doctor, start with a medical assessment.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if dizziness or a head injury comes with any of these:
- A sudden, severe headache, or a headache that keeps getting worse
- New weakness, numbness or tingling in the face, arms or legs
- Slurred speech or trouble understanding speech
- Double vision or sudden loss of vision
- Sudden hearing loss
- Fainting or being knocked out
- Vomiting more than once
- A seizure, growing confusion, or symptoms that get worse after a head injury
- Neck pain or tenderness after a head injury
Vertigo Treatment in NW Calgary
Live or work in northwest Calgary? Our NW Calgary clinic offers private, one-on-one physiotherapy by appointment, including vestibular and concussion care.
Visit our NW Calgary physiotherapy page to book online, or call 403-617-7407.
Sources
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): Balance Disorders
- Parachute Canada: Concussion
- Parachute Canada: Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport
- NHS: Vertigo
Updated October 2026 by the Healers Physiotherapy team. This page is general information, not a diagnosis; your physiotherapist will assess you before recommending treatment.
