Vertigo is a sudden loss of equilibrium. More than just dizziness, vertigo is characterized by a sensation of movement – you or your surroundings feel as if they are sliding, tilting or spinning when you are sitting still. This sense of movement may cause lightheadedness, blurred vision and even nausea and vomiting. Vertigo is often caused by an imbalance in your inner ear, which is responsible for registering movement and keeping you from falling over when you move your head. Exercises for vertigo recondition your inner ear and your eyes to maintain your balance during movement. For all of these exercises, perform them slowly in the beginning and gradually increase your speed as your vertigo improves.
Simple Head Turns
The simple head rotation incorporates slow, steady, lateral movements to condition your inner ear. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and slowly turn your head left and right as if shaking your head “No.” Do at least five repetitions and stop if you feel dizzy or nauseous. In cases of severe vertigo, even small movements may trigger an attack.
Simple Head Nods
The simple head rotation incorporates slow, steady, vertical movements to condition your inner ear. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and slowly tilt your chin to the ceiling, then down to your chest as if nodding “Yes.” Do at least five repetitions and stop if you feel dizzy or nauseous.
Stationary Object Eye Exercise
Eye exercises retrain the way your eyes communicate with the balance center in your brain. Sit in a comfortable position and focus on an object, such as a lamp, across the room. Keep your eyes focused on the object as you perform the simple head nods and turns.
Moving Object Eye Exercise
The moving object eye exercise retrains your balance center in your brain. Set a metronome to a slow cadence, sit in a comfortable position and follow the movement of the wand. Keep your head stationary and only move your eyes. Watch the metronome for at least two minutes. Stop if you feel dizzy or nauseous.
