When you are dizzy, you may feel off-balance, light-headed and as if the room is spinning. Dizziness is a symptom and incidental to another problem. If dizziness becomes chronic, your doctor may recommend vestibular exercises to control it. The vestibular system manages the sensors that affect balance. Talk with your doctor about your problem to determine the cause before trying any dizziness exercises.
About Vestibular Exercises
The vestibular system allows the body to deal with orientation and balance, what most people refer to as equilibrium. The system is a labyrinth that sits inside the inner ear and connects to sensors that feed information to the brain. There are a number of intricate components that make up this system. When something goes wrong with any of them, you may develop a chronic feeling of being off-balance, such as vertigo. Vestibular exercises work to increase tolerance to that feeling. Exercises are meant to initiate dizziness in order to teach you to compensate. During the first few weeks, someone should be with you when performing vestibular exercises. The dizziness may be quite severe.
Eye Movement Exercises
The key to doing vestibular eye exercises is to move your eyes first and then your head, according to The University of Mississippi. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Keep your head centered and eyes to the front. Look down toward the floor and let your eyes focus, then tilt your head down. The action is eyes first and then head. Repeat the exercise 10 times and then sit quietly until the dizziness passes. Do a total of three sets. Once you complete the up and down eye movement, do the exercise looking from side to side. You should perform this exercise at least three times a day. Once the dizziness improves, do the exercise with your eyes closed. As you improve further, move to a standing position. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and as the dizziness improves, move your feet together.
Body Exercises
Body exercises involve moving in a certain way to provoke dizziness. You should start slowly and then increase the speed. Sit in a comfortable chair. Start by shrugging your shoulders, then move to twisting from left to right. Move your head with your shoulders, so when you twist to the left the shoulders and head move as one piece. Bend forward in the chair and look at the floor and then return to start. Next, stand up and sit down in the chair. Do 20 repetitions of each exercise and repeat the session three times a day.
Walking Exercises
Walking exercises combine body, balance and eye movements. Start by walking a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other, heel to toe. If you have a hard time keeping your balance work in a hallway, and let the walls provide support if necessary. Continue walking for five minutes. Repeat the movement while turning your head from side to side with each step. For example, take one step and rotate your head right. With the next step, move your head to the left. Go approximately 20 feet and then turn around. Do three complete sets, moving in both directions -- and then do three more tilting the head up and down. After completing these walking exercises, move across the room once with your eyes open and once with them closed. Always have someone help you while walking with your eyes shut.
