Question 1

What is vestibular therapy?

Accepted Answer

Vestibular therapy is a specialized type of physical therapy designed to treat dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems.

Your vestibular system - located in your inner ear - works with your vision and sense of body position to keep you balanced and oriented. When this system isn't working properly, you experience dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, or that "off" feeling.

How vestibular therapy works:

• Identifies the problem - Through specialized testing, we pinpoint exactly what's causing your symptoms
• Retrains your brain - Exercises help your brain compensate for vestibular dysfunction or adapt to changes
• Improves balance - We strengthen your balance systems and improve coordination
• Reduces symptoms - Many patients see significant improvement in dizziness and confidence

Evidence-based approach:

Vestibular rehabilitation is backed by extensive research and is considered the gold standard treatment for many vestibular disorders. It's not just about managing symptoms - we're addressing the root cause of your dizziness.

Conditions we treat:

• BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
• Balance disorders and unsteadiness
• Vestibular migraines
• Meniere's disease
• PPPD (Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness)
• Post-concussion dizziness
• Visual motion sensitivity
• Generalized dizziness

Learn more about the specific conditions we treat on our What We Treat page.

Question 2

How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?

Accepted Answer

We understand that life happens and sometimes you need to change your appointment. Here's our policy:

Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy:
• 24-hour notice preferred - Please try to give us at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule (this allows us to offer your appointment time to another patient who may need it)
• We understand emergencies happen - just communicate with us!
• When you contact us to cancel, we're happy to help you find a new time that works better. Because of our boutique model and flexible scheduling, we can often accommodate your needs.

Questions about our cancellation policy? Just ask when you schedule your first appointment.

Question 3

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

The number of sessions you'll need varies based on your specific condition and how your body responds to treatment.

For simpler cases (like BPPV):
• As few as 2 visits for successful resolution
• Some patients feel significantly better after just one treatment

For other conditions:
• Typically 6-12 weeks of treatment
• Usually 1-2 visits per week, depending on your needs
• Progress varies - some improve quickly, others need more time

Factors that influence treatment length:
• Type and severity of your condition
• How long you've had symptoms
• Your overall health and fitness level
• Consistency with home exercises
• Presence of other medical conditions

Your personalized plan:
After your comprehensive evaluation, Dr. Carly will give you a better estimate based on your specific situation. We'll create a treatment plan tailored to YOUR needs - not based on what insurance companies dictate.

The beauty of our cash-pay model is that we can adjust your treatment frequency and duration based on what's actually working for you, not arbitrary insurance limitations.

Progress is the goal: We regularly reassess your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed. Our focus is getting you better, not dragging out treatment unnecessarily.

Question 4

Will treatment hurt or make me more dizzy?

Accepted Answer

This is one of the most common concerns, and it's completely understandable! Here's what you need to know:

Short answer: Some exercises may temporarily provoke your symptoms, but this is actually therapeutic and necessary for recovery. But our approach is very gentle, and we will listen to your body and let symptoms guide us.

Why symptoms might be provoked:
• Many vestibular exercises are designed to challenge your balance systems in a controlled way
• This controlled provocation helps your brain learn to compensate and adapt
• Think of it like physical therapy for a sprained ankle - some discomfort during exercise is normal and expected

What to expect:
• You may feel temporarily more dizzy during or immediately after exercises
• This typically subsides within 1 to 2 minutes
• We gradually progress your exercises - starting gentle and building up
• We carefully monitor your response and adjust accordingly

Safety first:
• We'll never push you into something that feels unsafe
• You're in control - you can stop or take breaks anytime
• Exercises are performed in a safe, controlled environment first
• We teach you how to manage symptoms if they occur

The good news:
While temporary symptom provocation is common, most patients find that their overall symptoms decrease significantly as treatment progresses. The short-term discomfort leads to long-term improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is vestibular therapy?

How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?

How many sessions will I need?

Will treatment hurt or make me more dizzy?

Still Have Questions?