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Vestibular Physiotherapy in Melbourne for Vertigo and Balance Disorders

Get support for dizziness, inner ear conditions, and balance disorders with our skilled physiotherapists in Melbourne CBD.

Vestibular physiotherapy in Melbourne is what you need if you’re experiencing dizziness, blurred vision, or nausea that negatively impacts your daily life. 

We offer vestibular physiotherapy, providing tailored vestibular rehabilitation for people experiencing vestibular disorders affecting the inner ear and balance system.

Dizziness and vertigo, a sensation of spinning, rocking, or tilting when you are not moving, are common signs of vestibular disorders. 

At The Alignment Studio, treatment begins with a thorough vestibular assessment, followed by hands-on treatment and vestibular rehabilitation tailored to your needs.

Woman experiencing dizziness and vertigo symptoms at home – treated with vestibular physiotherapy in Melbourne

What Is Vestibular Physiotherapy?

Vestibular physiotherapy focuses on assessing and treating vestibular disorders affecting the vestibular system, a complex sensory system in the inner ear and brain that helps maintain balance, spatial orientation, and coordinated eye movements.

Vestibular symptoms include dizziness, vertigo and balance problems. 

Physiotherapy for vertigo includes vestibular rehabilitation, using targeted techniques and exercises designed to support your balance system and improve balance.

Signs You May Benefit From Vestibular Physiotherapy

If rolling over in bed sets the room spinning, you’re experiencing balance problems during yoga, or you frequently feel dizzy or woozy, vestibular physiotherapy may help identify the cause of your symptoms.

Common symptoms of vestibular dysfunction include:

If you’re experiencing vertigo, persistent dizziness, or balance problems, book a vestibular assessment with our experienced vestibular physiotherapists.

What to Expect During Your Vestibular Physiotherapy Assessment

At The Alignment Studio, our vestibular physiotherapists, Nursah and Michelle, will begin with a thorough assessment to understand your symptoms, review your medical history, and develop a personalised treatment plan. 

Your first appointment typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes, allowing time for a detailed assessment and discussion.

Your initial assessment may include:

Discussion of symptoms and medical history. We’ll ask about your symptoms, when they began, your previous injuries, any pre-existing neurological conditions, and whether you’ve had a head or neck injury or concussion.

Balance and movement testing. This assessment helps us understand how well your vestibular system, vision, and muscles work together.

We might have you perform simple tasks, balance and gaze-stability exercises, such as standing on one leg, walking while turning your head or turning around on the spot.

Eye movement assessment. As the inner ear plays a crucial role in maintaining steady vision during head movements, we assess how your eyes work with your balance system.

Tests include following a moving target with your eyes, quickly looking between two targets, or focusing on a point while gently moving your head.

Positional testing for vertigo. If you feel dizzy when rolling over in bed, looking up or bending down, we perform positional testing to identify which head movements trigger your symptoms. 

Nursah or Michelle will guide you into specific positions while observing your symptoms and eye movements. 

Conditions Vestibular Physiotherapy Can Help Treat

Vestibular rehabilitation and dizziness physiotherapy may help people with a range of acute and chronic vestibular conditions that affect balance and daily life. These include:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

One of the most common causes of vertigo, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), can occur when tiny crystals become dislodged in the ear during certain head movements. These dislodged crystals can cause brief spinning episodes by disrupting signals from the inner ear.

Canalith repositioning manoeuvres involve moving your head through a series of positions to treat dislodged crystals.

Vestibular Neuritis and Labyrinthitis

Often triggered by viral infections, these inner ear conditions cause the vestibular nerve or balance structures to become inflamed. This may lead to sudden dizziness, nausea, and difficulty maintaining balance.

Symptoms may last for days or, in some cases, months. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises may help support recovery.

Persistent Dizziness and Balance Disorders

If you have ongoing balance problems or dizziness, vestibular rehab may help your brain adapt to changes in balance signals by providing exercises designed to suit your needs.

Physiotherapists tailor exercises based on your assessment, symptoms and treatment plan. Your program may include supervised vestibular rehabilitation exercises and home balance exercises.

Dizziness After Concussion or Head Injury

A concussion or head or neck injury may affect the vestibular system, and dizziness is a common symptom. 

Our physiotherapists may work alongside neurologists, ENT specialists, and other healthcare providers where appropriate. Treatment may include gaze stability exercises to support balance and coordination.

How Vestibular Rehabilitation Can Help

  • Reducing vertigo and dizziness: Our physiotherapists may use canalith repositioning manoeuvres to treat dislodged crystals where appropriate, teach home repositioning techniques where suitable, and prescribe vestibular habituation exercises. These exercises use repeated exposure to movements that trigger symptoms and are designed to help improve dizziness over time.

    If cervical spine stiffness and tense neck muscles are contributing to your condition, we may use joint mobilisation techniques and soft-tissue therapy designed to help reduce neck pain and tightness.

  • Improving balance and stability: Our VALD equipment provides an objective assessment of your balance and movement quality. It can be used at the start of your rehab and for tracking improvements, and our Clinical Pilates program is instrumental in improving balance.
  • Restoring your confidence in daily movement: In addition to supervised rehab, your physiotherapist will prescribe home exercises for you to work on each day. This may include eye coordination and balance exercises to improve stability and confidence in essential activities such as walking, turning, or changing direction.

Why Choose The Alignment Studio for Vestibular Physio in Melbourne

Experienced Vestibular Physiotherapists

Experienced Vestibular Physiotherapists

Nursah and Michelle have completed additional training in vestibular physiotherapy, providing evidence-based assessment and rehabilitation tailored to your symptoms.

Integrated Care Under One Roof

Integrated Care Under One Roof

Access physiotherapy, Clinical Pilates, remedial massage and other allied health services in one Melbourne CBD physiotherapy clinic when appropriate.
Objective Assessment Tools

Objective Assessment Tools

We use VALD technology to assess balance and movement quality, helping guide your rehabilitation plan and monitor changes over time.
Convenient Melbourne CBD Location

Convenient Melbourne CBD Location

Located in Collins Place, our clinic offers same-day appointments where available and has earned 200+ 5-star Google reviews.

Client Reviews

I just had the worst experience with BPPV – woke up for three days straight feeling so nauseous and dizzy. But then I saw Nursah, and the very next day, I woke up feeling like a brand new person. No more dizziness, just a huge sense of relief. I can't recommend Nursah and The Alignment Studio enough!
Sara E

FAQs

Vestibular physiotherapy helps assess and manage conditions affecting the inner ear and brain that can impact balance and cause dizziness, including several types of vertigo. 

Where appropriate, our physiotherapy clinic may work alongside ENT specialists, neurologists and other healthcare professionals to support your care.

Yes. Physiotherapy may help manage many types of vertigo, including Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).

The number of vestibular rehabilitation sessions depends on your condition, symptoms and response to treatment.
No. You don’t need a referral to book a vestibular physiotherapy appointment at our Melbourne CBD clinic.

See An Experienced Physiotherapist Today

Dizziness, vertigo and vestibular migraines can significantly impact your quality of life. Choose us for vestibular physiotherapy in Melbourne and enjoy tailored care and holistic programs that ensure the best treatment outcome.