In the news: Finding help for chronic vertigo
Our medical director at Toronto General Hospital, Dr. John Rutka, spoke with CBC’s Ontario Today about the struggles Canadians face finding help for chronic vertigo.
Listen here:
Some key ideas from this program:
Chronic dizziness can involve many different sensations, and symptoms can be hard to describe. Vertigo is an illusion of movement of yourself or your environment. Vertigo is often a spinning sensation, but can also be a rocking feeling or a sensation of being pushed or pulled.
Being able to identify the timing of your symptoms can help you communicate with your health care provider (e.g. constant or intermittent, how long symptoms last). Being able to identify any triggers can also help with diagnosis (e.g. movements or circumstances that provoke symptoms, or if symptoms happen spontaneously). The pattern of your symptoms can help narrow down potential causes.
The vestibular system is responsible for balance. The semicircular canals sense rotation. The otoliths sense gravity and linear motion.
Assessment involves taking comprehensive history, which takes time. Your health care provider should ask you questions to get a good understanding of the symptoms you are experiencing. Assessment also requires a full physical examination to evaluate your inner ear, neurological function, vision, and proprioception.
Dizziness is common but complex, and it can be hard to find the right care. For many people it can take years to get a correct diagnosis, despite seeing multiple health care professionals and specialists.
Many people are told there is nothing to be done and they just have to live with it, without actually being properly evaluated or diagnosed.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a very common cause of vertigo which can be effectively treated.
Vertigo is a symptom that can be caused by many different conditions, and many people have more than one cause for their symptoms.
Vestibular issues can be invisible - you may “look fine” but be very disabled by your symptoms. Chronic symptoms can be very isolating, and can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Vestibular rehabilitation physiotherapy can be helpful, but it can be challenging to find an experienced provider with advanced training. A physiotherapist’s training can range from a single weekend course, to competency certifications, all the way up to Advanced Practice Vestibular Physiotherapist positions.
A multidisciplinary team approach to care is beneficial but hard to find, and wait times can be lengthy.
