Inner ear home balance exercises
for the treatment of dizziness.
Exercise #1: Turn head side to side first with eyes open, then close.
Point #1: These exercises are to help with vestibular dysfunction not due to BPPV or Meniere's.
Exercise #2: Nod head up and down first with eyes open, the closed.
Point #2: These exercises start out very easy, but by exercise #6 start getting much more difficult.
Exercise #3: Nod head up and down looking over one shoulder first with eyes open, then closed.
Point #3: It is not unusual that these exercises aggravate the dizzy sensation, but don't give up!
Exercise #4: Nod head up and down looking over the other shoulder, first with eyes open, then closed.
Point #4: Just like the gymnast who keeps falling off the balance beam, repetitive balance exercises are performed to ultimately improve balance.
Exercise #5: Do same head movements while keeping eyes focused on outstretched one finger.
Point #5: Dizziness due to BPPV is treated with Epley or related maneuver.
Dizziness due to Meniere's is treated with diet restrictions, medications, and/or even surgery.
Exercise #6: Do same head movement whilte standing with eyes open, and then closed.
Point #6: Human balance system is composed of 3 different systems working together.
Eyes provide visual cues.
Inner ear balance system provides gyroscopic information.
Proprioception provides sense of position in space based on information provided from muscles, tendons, and joints.
Exercise #7: Do same head movements while sitting up and down first with eyes open and then closed.
Point #7: Dysfunction of vision, inner ear balance, or proprioception will result in dizziness.
That's why people tend to stumble in the dark (visual loss).
Spinning vertigo occurs when suddenly stopping after twirling the body like a top (temporary inner ear balance dysfunction).
People tend to stumble when walking heal-to-toe with arms down (loss of proprioception). That's why tight-rope walking is hard.
Exercise #8: Do same head movements while walking, first with eyes open, and then closed.
These exercises are trying to accomplish is to challenge and thereby improve inner ear balance system in a gradual fashion by slowly taking away balance information provided by eyes and then proprioception.
Exercise #9: Do same head movements while walking on uneven surface with eyes open, then closed.
Exercise #10: Do same head movements walking heel-to-toe in straight line with eyes open, then closed.
For your safety, please have another individual by your side to assist in order to prevent injury from a fall due to exercise triggered dizziness!