Dizziness, vertigo and unsteadiness are common and often very treatable. Vestibular physiotherapy retrains the balance system using specific exercises and manoeuvres.
After a detailed assessment we can treat conditions such as BPPV with repositioning manoeuvres, and provide graded habituation and balance exercises for other vestibular problems.
Being treated at home means you can rest immediately after a manoeuvre rather than travelling, and we can check the environments where your symptoms occur.
The most common cause of true spinning vertigo is BPPV: loose crystals in the inner ear's balance canals. It is diagnosed with simple positional tests and often resolved in one or two sessions with a repositioning manoeuvre: a specific, guided sequence of head movements. Being at home means you can rest immediately afterwards instead of facing a journey.
Where dizziness has other vestibular causes (after an inner-ear virus, for example), treatment is a graded programme of gaze-stabilisation and habituation exercises that retrains the brain to trust its balance signals again, alongside balance work so you feel safe on your feet.
Available across Southampton, Portsmouth, Fareham, Winchester, Salisbury and everywhere in between.
A vestibular session is methodical, because the history and tests do the diagnosing:
People with spinning vertigo when rolling over in bed or looking up, lingering unsteadiness after an inner-ear infection, dizziness that has crept in with age, or wobbliness that started after a fall and never quite left.
Dizziness is one of the most under-treated symptoms we see, and one of the most rewarding to treat, because the right diagnosis so often leads to rapid improvement.
Related: Falls & Balance · Vertigo & Dizziness · Falls Prevention & Balance
Anything else? Ask us directly. A physiotherapist answers every enquiry.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: brief spinning triggered by head position changes. It is the most treatable cause of vertigo: repositioning manoeuvres resolve most cases within one or two sessions, though it can occasionally recur.
BPPV often needs only one or two. Retraining programmes for other vestibular problems typically run over six to twelve weeks, with exercises you do daily at home between visits.
Testing and manoeuvres can briefly provoke your symptoms. That is partly how we confirm the diagnosis. It settles quickly, and being at home means you can rest straight away.
If it arrives with severe headache, weakness, numbness, slurred speech, double vision, chest pain or new hearing loss, seek urgent medical care before any physiotherapy.
Yes. Repositioning manoeuvres work well on a bed or firm sofa, and the balance retraining that follows is most useful in the rooms and on the surfaces where your dizziness actually happens.
Note when the dizziness started, what sets it off and how long it lasts, and have your medication list to hand. If episodes are severe it helps to have someone with you for the first visit.
Often, yes. Dizziness has many causes and the assessment is designed to tell them apart. Where physiotherapy can help we start straight away, and where something needs medical review first we say so and write to your GP.
Charlie has been fantastic after my hip replacement, just can't recommend him enough. He was very patient with me while encouraging me with new exercises, and has really helped my confidence to move forward. I've made progress much quicker than I thought I would and that's all thanks to Charlie.
Emily is a lovely, engaging, patient and knowledgeable physiotherapist. Her time with my husband during his acute stroke recovery phase has been invaluable. Emily researched and adapted her sessions and exercises to my husband's specific requests and needs. Thank you Emily :-)
I had my first appointment with Charlie last month after coming out of hospital with 5 vertebral fractures. Barely able to walk or do anything for myself. Now 7 weeks later I'm able to walk unaided and do everything to look after myself.
This year my long term orthopaedic conditions and my vestibular migraine have been particularly troublesome. But thanks to Charlie's professional guidance my mobility is greatly improved and I am feeling much more confident when out and about.
After being let down by the NHS I was delighted to find South Coast Physio and it was a real bonus that they come to the home. Emily is skilled, helpful, friendly and solutions focused, providing the 1-1 support my daughter needs.
Professional, reliable and caring. The support from Charlie, our physio, has been invaluable.
Cannot praise them enough! Comprehensive and professional treatment plans that inspire you.
Enormously helpful advice and encouragement. I couldn't recommend more highly.
With South Coast Home Physiotherapy you get ongoing support to stay mobile and independent in daily life. Every session is planned around you and aims to:
Whether you need a one-off assessment or regular physiotherapy to keep you feeling your best, our friendly, experienced team is here to help.
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