Vertigo training

introduction

Different disorders of the human organ of equilibrium cause vertigo symptoms. Dizziness training is intended to counteract this by training our balance organs. Dizziness training can relieve the symptoms and in some cases even shorten them. In addition to balance and coordination, blood circulation, breathing and mindfulness are promoted. In addition, vertigo training can be supplemented with a relaxation program.

The human brain is not a rigid structure made of cells, but has the ability to react to external stimuli and to remodel brain structures accordingly. This relationship can also be observed in the cerebellum and the sense of balance. Regular balance exercises promote one Learning processthat helps the cerebellum differentiate between correct and incorrect information about balance. Such a process is called habituation or habituation and takes weeks to months. Depending on the age, the learning process can be observed slower or faster.
The training is independent of what triggered the dizziness and should be started as soon as the person concerned can sit up straight. Especially at the beginning of the training, a short-term intensification of the symptoms observed. Taking medication takes a back seat when performing the exercises and is only advised if nausea and vomiting occur.

Reasons to do vertigo training

The reasons for doing vertigo training are extremely diverse, because, in general terms, everyone can benefit from vertigo training.

One group that vertigo training is specifically geared towards are people who are currently suffering from vertigo. It does not matter whether the dizziness only occurs occasionally or persists. The extent of the vertigo is also initially unimportant. The vertigo training can be done with vertigo as well as with vertigo. People who suffer from dizziness only a little benefit from dizziness training just as much as those who are severely restricted in their everyday life due to dizziness.

Read more on the topic: Attacks of vertigo and diagnosis of vertigo

The greater the burden of dizziness for a single person, the more likely it is to recommend dizziness training. For example, if you have to be on sick leave because of dizziness, you should do dizziness training. Even those who tire more quickly from dizziness will gain positive experiences from dizziness training.

But vertigo training is not only suitable for people with dizziness. Especially with increasing age, the ability to coordinate and balance also decreases. Since these aspects are dealt with in dizziness training, anyone who feels unsteady on their feet can take part in such training.

Read more on the topic: Balance disorder and dizziness and dizziness in old age

Dizziness training in Menière's disease

The form of vertigo Menière's disease describes vertigo that lasts for hours with vomiting, which occurs together with a feeling of pressure in the ear and increasing hearing loss. Those affected are often exposed to great stress. Its cause seems to go back to an increase in pressure of the fluid in the inner ear.

Read more on the subject here "Dizziness Due to Diseases of the Inner Ear".

In addition to surgical and drug therapy measures, vertigo training is also used in treatment. Patients who are particularly affected by dizziness symptoms benefit from balance training. Even if there is no direct influence on the disease, the symptoms of dizziness are relieved. The exercises are carried out until the organ of equilibrium achieves complete compensation.

You can find more about the therapy of Menière's disease here: "Therapy of Menière's Disease"

Vertigo training for positional vertigo

Beninge paroxysmal positional vertigo occurs, as its name suggests, when there is a change in posture. It is a harmless form of dizziness, which is characterized by sudden vertigo and lasting a maximum of one minute. Those affected often get the feeling of sitting in a carousel.

Positional vertigo is a form of vertigo that is based on the disease of one of the two organs of balance. Because one organ is working properly and the other is sending incorrect information to the brain, the information does not match. The brain gets into a conflict of interpretation of these signals and the affected person becomes dizzy. The misinformation of the diseased equilibrium organ is based on the formation of so-called Otoliths. These are small crystals that swim around in the ear canal and irritate the vibrations of the equilibrium fluid there.

Treatment of positional vertigo promises a cure in most cases. Storage maneuvers according to a fixed sequence move the otoliths into a static position. To do this, the affected person sits on a couch with their legs straight and turns their head 45 degrees to the diseased side. After that, the person has to lie down quickly and stay in the position for about a minute.This usually provokes an attack of dizziness, but the situation should be maintained for the entire minute. Then the head is turned quickly so that it is turned 45 degrees to the healthy side. Here, too, you have to pause for a minute. Then the rotation takes place again in the direction of the diseased side, but this time the entire body should be rotated. After a minute, the whole body is turned to the healthy side. Another minute later, the person concerned has to sit up again abruptly.

In around 40% of those affected, dizziness returns within a few years regardless of treatment.

You can find more information about vertigo training for postural vertigo here: Exercises against positional dizziness

Who does vertigo training?

Vertigo training is usually offered to individuals by physiotherapists and physiotherapists. The attending physician can often even issue a prescription for these forms of therapy. Those who suffer particularly from dizziness can do dizziness training as part of a rehab or cure. Dizziness training is also carried out by special health centers and health sports groups.

Occupational therapy / physiotherapy

Both occupational therapy and physiotherapy centers and practices often offer dizziness training under supervision. The causal trigger takes a back seat, while dizziness as the main symptom is in the foreground of the individual treatment. In general, it can be said that the person affected can reach the limits of his or her performance when performing the exercises. The Vertigo symptoms will be used during exercise consciously provoked and endured.

Occupational therapy and physiotherapy are considered medical-rehabilitative measures and are usually prescribed by the attending general practitioner, pediatrician or specialist. Treatment for symptoms of vertigo is a recognized therapy with health insurance companies. Depending on the diagnosis, one may take Session between half an hour and a full hour. Depending on mobility, the implementation takes place in the respective premises or during a home visit.

Patients who are affected by symptoms of dizziness often suffer from great physical insecurity resulting in a reduced spontaneous motor skills and stiffness is expressed. One also speaks of avoidance behavior, which under certain circumstances also favors the complaints. In addition to targeted exercises against dizziness, come Relaxation- and Breathing techniques for use. In this way you try to regain your spontaneous motor skills and counteract avoidance behavior.

Usually the training takes place gradually. It usually begins with exercises in a sitting position, which move from standing to walking as the symptoms improve.

Please also read our topic on this Therapy for vertigo.

Exercises of dizziness training

The exercises for dizziness training vary greatly, depending on how pronounced the dizziness is in the affected person. The exercises can be carried out lying down, sitting, standing and while walking. Most exercises are initially based on keeping the body still and thus reaching a position in which the dizziness is absent.

Then start with slow eye movements. These are executed up and down, then left and right. If the slow movements can be carried out without a head for heights, one moves on to faster eye movements.

The same can be done with head movements. The upper body can also be tilted forwards and backwards and to the side.

Then you usually go over to rotary movements. First the head is turned, later the entire upper body, and even the entire body when standing. You can increase the difficulty of these exercises by doing them with your eyes closed.

Dizziness training also includes picking up an object from the floor from sitting or standing, for example, turning around and putting it down in another place. This also trains coordination and reduces dizziness when turning.

Read more on the topic: Coordination training and movement coordination

Advanced users can also train the one-legged stance and the tightrope walk, i.e. walking on a thin straight line.

Dizziness training according to Epley

The Epley maneuver serves the Eliminate the causal trigger for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Free-moving otoliths in the semicircular canals transmit misleading information to the brain. They do not agree with those of the other sense organs. With the help of a set sequence of different Movement maneuversyou try that To use gravity to move ear stones into a static position.

The implementation is as follows:

The patient takes a seat on an examination couch with his legs straight and turns his head 45 degrees to the affected side. Now the patient moves quickly to a lying position with the head protruding slightly over the top of the bed. The affected side touches the surface. Also if dizziness and nystagmus occur, the position should be held for a minute. The patient then quickly moves his head 90 degrees and remains in this position for a minute. Then the patient turns his entire body 90 degrees towards the head for one minute. The eyes look towards the ground. At the end there is a quick straightening up in the sitting position.

Already in 50% of those affected a significant improvement occurs after the first implementation. In the remaining cases, repetition up to three times a day is recommended, in which the duration of the individual head positions can be shortened to 30 seconds. The rapid movements of the head in space are decisive for the success of the maneuver.

Exercises

Dizziness training is recommended two to three times a day and repeating each exercise frequently. Certain drugs suppress the symptoms of dizziness, but they counteract the learning process of cerebral structures. With this in mind, it should be largely refrained from taking medication and resorted to only in the case of severe nausea and vomiting. The training should be increased gradually. Only when the exercises in the sitting posture are successful do you move on to standing. It is the same with the transition from standing to walking.

While sitting:

1. You start with slow eye movement up and down. After repeating ten times, do the same exercise with a now rapid movement from top to bottom. Analogous to do this, the eyes then slow down ten times, then fast left to right emotional.
2. The head movement exercise is similar. The practitioner tilts the Head slowly forwardso that the chin approaches the sternum. Then he moves his head into the at the same speed opposite direction and overstretched the neck. After repeating ten times, the exercise takes place analogous with a fast Move. The same principle is then used when turning the head left to right applied.
3. Another sitting exercise is that Bend the trunk towards the groundas if the practitioner were picking up an object. The exercise should be ten times slowly and ten times fast be performed.
4. At the end of the sitting exercises, the upper body ten times initially turned to both sides with open eyes. Then do the same exercise ten times with closed eyes.

In stand:

1. The standing exercises are similar. First, the Eye movements, the Head movements and the slow turning movement repeated ten times in the standing position.
2. Now the practitioner provides a chair, which he uses ten times from sitting to an upright posture with legs straight comes. The exercise is done for the first ten repetitions with open, in the second with closed eyes.
3. For the following exercise, a little ball needed. Ten times he will from the right to the left hand and thrown vice versa. Care should be taken that the Hands at eye level are located.

While walking:

1. After the exercises you can stand dynamic tasks be carried out while walking. Initially, the practitioner walks about one ten times half a minute with open eyes through a room. He does the same with closed eyes by.
2. Of the One-legged stance becomes alternately practiced five times on the right foot, then five times on the left foot. The eyes stay here open.
3. Performing the same exercise poses a challenge with closed eyes It can take some time to succeed. Fixed holding aids can be used at the beginning.
4. The last two exercises train the so-called Tightrope walk. The practitioner places one foot in front of the other on an imaginary rope with his eyes open. He repeats this five times. Has he mastered the tightrope walk? with open eyes, can then do the same exercise with closed eyes done five times.

Vertigo training with the swivel chair

A swivel chair is often used initially for diagnosis in the case of dizziness. The person concerned is placed on the chair and must also wear so-called Frenzel glasses. The lenses are so strong that no one can see clearly through them. When turning, the brain cannot rely on the information from the eyes, but only orientates itself on the signals from the organ of equilibrium. The affected person is turned in a circle on the chair. So-called Nystagmen, so be able to observe rapid eye movements.

In vertigo training, a swivel chair can only be used at the very end of therapy.

What is a mental dizziness training

Mental dizziness training combines two therapeutic approaches. First of all, it is a matter of dealing with psychological stress and other mental triggers of dizziness and thus minimizing the symptoms. At the same time, mental dizziness training is a kind of behavioral therapy. Affected people learn to perform all daily movements despite the dizziness. Usually both the handling of the dizziness and the dizziness itself improve, so that after a certain time there is a significant improvement in the symptoms.

Read more on the topic: Symptoms of stress

Does the dizziness training pay the health insurance?

The dizziness training is covered by the health insurance depending on the severity of the symptoms. Especially if someone is unable to work due to dizziness or can no longer do everyday things, the health insurance can pay for dizziness training. To do this, it is necessary to prescribe physical therapy. The health insurance company also pays the costs for certain illnesses such as positional dizziness or Menière's disease.