5 Tips to Beat Postwinter Dizziness
Posted on 29. Feb, 2012 by admin in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth, Vestibular Support Group
This time of year, Mother Nature can be unpredictable and unforgiving. Here in Chicago we have gotten weather below freezing that shoots up to the mid 50s the next day. While we are enjoying the great outdoors and the beautiful sun, little viruses and bacteria also come out and infect unsuspecting people.
1) Remember that you are not the only one
The changing weather and these little viruses can wreck havoc on people suffering from dizziness. The barometric pressure changes distort your inner ear pressure leading many patients to have a short relapse, and a miserable day. The bugs you catch also can affect your dizziness.
2) Try to focus on a point
Try to do this on a “boring” background like a wall. This minimizes the visual stimuli that can make the dizziness worse.
3) STAY HYDRATED
Water helps to balance the body and will help bring you back to normal. As we go about our day often we can forget to drink enough water. According to the Mayo Clinic, people should drink between 9 and 13 cups of water to make sure you have enough water for your body to function properly. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make it hard to focus which all can affect dizzy feelings.
4) Control your breathe
It’s common that when dizziness catches people by surprise they can hyperventilate. This makes the symptoms worse. Controlling your breath forces you to focus on something inside of yourself, and it will get your mind off the rest of the world literally spinning.
5) Do your vestibular exercises
This might seem counterintuitive, but doing the exercises will help bring you back to normal when you are having a bad day.
If you or someone you know suffers from dizziness, please get in contact with us at info@balancechicago.com to learn more.
Dr. Michele Kehrer PT, DPT, ATC In The News Again!
Posted on 15. Apr, 2010 by admin in In the News, Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
Michele was interviewed by the popular women’s online health resource, EmpowHER, about dizziness and balance disorders and the treatments available for these disorders.
“The treatment offered at my center is especially important now due to the increased number of Americans living longer,” said Dr. Kehrer. “Sixty-five percent of individuals over the age of 60 experience dizziness or loss of balance, the result of generalized functional degradation.”
The treatment offered at LifeStyle’s office is vestibular rehabilitation, which includes the use of high-tech equipment and easy-to-follow exercises. Although medication is often as the main source to treat dizziness, LifeStyle tries to lessen the use of medication to treat dizziness because “…this medication increases risk of falling and can be addictive. It also suppresses vestibular function, essentially worsening the problem that it is prescribed to treat. The medication is fine when prescribed correctly and utilized in conjunction with physical therapy.”
To learn more and to read this fabulous article:
http://bit.ly/98OLAl
(I shortened the URL to the above)
4/17/10: Support Group for Dizzy and Inner Ear Balance Disorders
Posted on 30. Mar, 2010 by admin in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth, Vestibular Support Group
Join us on Saturday, April 17th for our Vestibular Support Group, for individuals with dizziness, vertigo, or balance issues. This support group is set up as an open forum to meet other individuals in the community with vestibular disorders. We will also have Physical Therapists certified in vestibular rehabilitation available to answer any questions you may have about vestibular disorders or therapy.
We have a special guest speaker, Timothy Suh, Founder of the Alternative Health Group, who will teach us how Tai Chi benefits individuals with dizziness and balance disorders as well as some basic moves.
If you are affected or have been affected by any of the following, please consider joining us:
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
- Peripheral or central vestibulopathy
- Vestibular migraine
- Meniere’s Disease
- Labrynthitis
- Tinnitus
Friends and family, as well as other support systems, are welcome. As of 4/13 we already have 22 people signed up! We hope to see you on Saturday!
Where: 3130 N Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, IL (60657).
When: Refreshments will be served at 11:30am. The meeting will begin at 12pm and will last for approximately one hour.
To RSVP, please call: 773-525-5200.
Spring 2010 Vestibular Support Group
Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth, Vestibular Support Group
Join us on Saturday, April 17th for our Vestibular Support Group, located at our office at 3130 N Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, IL (60657). Refreshments will be served at 11:30am and the meeting will begin at 12pm and will last for approximately one hour.
We would love all of those affected by vestibular disorders to join us! Friends and family, as well as other support systems, are welcome.
To RSVP, please call: 773-525-5200.
If You Are Dizzy…
Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
…Keep moving!
It will be very difficult for dizzy patients to hear that they should keep doing their daily activities when their symptoms flare up. Their first instinct is to become inactive and take rest days. What will help your vestibular system is to rest until your symptoms settle down and then go back to your normal activities.
When you become active, you are training your brain to get used to different incoming signals. This in conjunction with daily vestibular exercises will help with rehabilitation of your vestibular system.
Tai Chi and Balance Disorders
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
A recent study conducted in 2008-2009 showed that the martial art practice Tai Chi is an effective treatment for people with vestibular disorders.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an practice incorporating slow movements of the body into different postures using your own body’s coordination. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Tai Chi is helpful for those with balance disorders because it helps people concentrate on their own coordination.
February Vestibular Support Group Coming Soon!
Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
Just a heads up, the next Vestibular Support Group will be taking place in February. Details will be announced soon!
The Inner Ear and Balance in 90 Seconds
Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
Technology never ceases to amaze me. The amount of information we all have at our fingertips is astounding.
Learn more about your inner ear and how it affects your balance in this quick, 90 second video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbKU0AbbARg
Enjoy!
New Year's Resolution: Maintain Your Sense of Balance
Posted on 31. Dec, 2009 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
New Year’s Resolutions are always easy to state and hard to maintain. Lose weight, exercise every day, be nicer to your mother, the list of possibilities are endless.
One senior in Boston, Gail Hunter, came up with the right resolution in an effort to age gracefully: Exercise to maintain your sense of balance.
And she is completely correct.
Physical therapy can do wonders for dizziness and balance disorders, one of them being BPPV. Gail states some statistics in her article from VEDA that 50% of dizziness in the elderly is caused by BPPV and dizziness and imbalance are symptoms experienced by 40% of adults 40 years or older. If you are one of these individuals, therapy with a PT trained in vestibular rehabilitation can get you feeling like a million bucks! (And don’t be afraid to ask for your PTs credentials.)
Check out Gail’s full article:
Waking up Dizzy?
Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by balancechicago in Vestibular Disorders - In Depth
Our new patients in their evaluation often tell us that the initial way that they realized that they had a vestibular disorder was that they turned over in bed and felt a wave of dizziness come over them. This is a key indicator that our patient may have BPPV. BPPV is treatable through physical therapy and through maneuvers like the Epley Maneuver.
Check out the other signs of BPPV:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vertigo/DS00534/DSECTION=symptoms