What Is Vertigo, And How Physiotherapy Actually Fixes It

Have you ever felt like the room was spinning, even though you were standing still? Or rolled over in bed and suddenly felt off-balance?

That spinning sensation is often vertigo. And the good news? In many cases, physiotherapy can treat it quickly and effectively.

At ADM Ottawa Physio, we see many patients who are surprised to learn that their vertigo isn’t “just something they have to live with.” Let’s break it down in simple terms.

Dizziness vs. Vertigo: What’s the Difference?

People often use these words interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.

Dizziness is a general term. It can describe:

• Feeling lightheaded
• Feeling faint
• Unsteadiness
• A floating or woozy sensation
  

It may be related to blood pressure, dehydration, medication, anxiety, or other medical causes.

Vertigo, on the other hand, is specific. It feels like:

• The room is spinning
• You are spinning
• The ground is moving beneath you

Vertigo usually comes from the inner ear or balance system, not from blood pressure or dehydration. That’s why physiotherapy can play such an important role in treating it.

What Causes Vertigo?

Your inner ear contains tiny structures that help your brain understand movement and position. When those structures aren’t working properly, your brain receives mixed signals, and you feel spinning or imbalance.

Common causes include:

1. BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo): This is the most common type. Tiny calcium crystals inside the inner ear shift out of place, triggering spinning sensations when you turn your head, roll in bed or look up and down. 

2. Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis: Inflammation of the inner ear, often following a viral infection.

3. Post-Concussion Vertigo: After a concussion, the balance system can be disrupted.

4. Age-Related Balance Changes: As we age, the inner ear and balance reflexes naturally weaken.

5. Cervicogenic Dizziness: Dizziness that originates from the neck due to stiffness or joint dysfunction.

The important thing to know: Many of these conditions respond extremely well to physiotherapy.

Types of Vertigo Physiotherapy Can Help

At ADM Ottawa Physio, vestibular physiotherapy can effectively treat:

• BPPV
• Post-viral vestibular disorders
• Concussion-related dizziness
• Motion sensitivity
• Balance problems after falls
• Cervicogenic dizziness (neck-related)
• Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)

An assessment helps determine which type you’re experiencing, because treatment depends on the cause.

How Physiotherapy Actually Fixes Vertigo

Here’s where things get encouraging. Physiotherapy doesn’t just “manage” vertigo. In many cases, especially BPPV, can be resolved.

1. Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers (for BPPV)

If you have BPPV, treatment may involve specific head and body movements (like the Epley maneuver) designed to guide those misplaced crystals back where they belong. Many patients feel significant improvement in just one to three sessions.

2. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)

For other types of vertigo, treatment focuses on helping your brain adapt and recalibrate through customized vestibular rehabilitation exercises. These may include gaze stabilization exercises to improve visual focus while moving your head, balance retraining to increase steadiness, habituation exercises to reduce motion sensitivity, and walking or functional movement training to restore confidence in daily activities. 

Over time, these exercises help your brain process balance signals more accurately and reduce symptoms. Your brain is remarkably adaptable. With the right stimulus, it can “relearn” how to process balance signals properly.

3. Neck Treatment (for Cervicogenic Dizziness)

If your dizziness is coming from your neck, physiotherapy focuses on improving how your neck moves and functions. Treatment may include gentle manual therapy, mobility exercises, postural correction, and strengthening of the deep neck muscles. As neck movement becomes smoother and more stable, dizziness symptoms often decrease significantly.

4. Concussion Management

For post-concussion patients, treatment focuses on safely restoring the brain’s balance and visual systems. This may include gradual visual and balance retraining, controlled exposure to movement, coordination exercises, and structured return-to-activity guidance. Every plan is carefully tailored to your specific symptoms and tolerance to ensure steady, safe progress.

What to Expect at Your Assessment

During your first visit, we’ll take a detailed history of your symptoms and perform specific positional tests to better understand what’s triggering them. We’ll assess your balance, eye movements, and neck mobility to identify the root cause of your dizziness or vertigo. It’s normal to feel mild symptoms during testing, this actually helps us accurately pinpoint the issue. From there, we create a clear, personalized treatment plan to guide your recovery.

Benefits of Physiotherapy for Vertigo

• Many people try to “wait it out,” hoping vertigo will resolve on its own. But when left untreated, it can lead to fear of movement, reduced activity levels, increased risk of falls, and a growing loss of confidence. The longer it persists, the more it can begin to affect daily life.

Physiotherapy helps you:

• Reduce or eliminate spinning sensations
• Improve balance and stability
• Prevent falls
• Return to normal daily activities
• Regain confidence
  

When Should You Seek Help?

Consider booking an assessment if you:

• Feel spinning when rolling in bed
• Avoid certain movements because of dizziness
• Feel unsteady when walking or at risk of falling
• Recently had a concussion
• Experienced a sudden onset of vertigo

The earlier vertigo is assessed, the faster it can often be resolved.

You Don’t Have to “Live With It”

Vertigo can be frightening and disruptive. But in many cases, it’s treatable, and often surprisingly quickly.

At ADM Ottawa Physio, we take the time to understand what’s happening and guide you through a structured recovery plan. If the world feels like it’s spinning, let’s help you steady it.

Book an assessment today and take the first step toward feeling grounded again.