Vertigo Exercises to Relieve Symptoms

Vertigo exercises to relieve dizziness and discomfortIf a person experiences vertigo on a regular basis, he should consult his doctor about vertigo exercises that can be performed to help alleviate some of the balance problems that are associated with the disorder.  Certain types of vertigo, like Meniere’s disease or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, are so severe they put the person at risk for falling down.  Vertigo can affect a person’s quality of life and it may interfere with certain levels of activity.  A doctor may recommend certain activities that can be done at home to help the body get used to the confusing signals that are causing the vertigo.

Exercises for vertigo may sound very simple.  However, depending on how severe the vertigo is, some can be difficult to perform.  Vertigo exercises typically consist of ways to practice maintaining balance while remaining still, turning, walking, and swaying.  Head movements are one of the most common vertigo triggers.  Therefore, practicing head movements can help your body deal with the problems that cause vertigo.  The following are a few examples of exercises that can improve your balance.  The symptoms of vertigo may start to improve within a few days to a few weeks.  With any exercise, start off slowly and then gradually increase over time either the frequency or duration of the exercise.  An example of an exercise to improve your balance is to stand with your arms at your side, keep your feet together and hold still for 30 seconds.  For more intense vertigo, try the same exercise, but move your head up and down and side to side for 30 seconds.

When people have vertigo, their eyes will show abnormal movements that are a result of the signals being sent to the brain.  The following are a few exercises to help with the eye movements:  sit down in a chair without moving your head.  Using only your eyes, look up and then look down.  Repeat this 20 times increasing the speed.  Look to your left and then to your right without moving your head.  Repeat this 20 times trying to speed up gradually.  Extend one arm out in front of you and hold up your index finger.  Focus on your finger and while keeping your eyes focused, move your finger toward your face and back out again slowly.  Repeat this exercise 20 times also.  You will want to start incorporating some head movements into these exercises, but remember to start off slowly and with your eyes open.  As your vertigo symptoms decrease, you may want to start performing these exercises with your eyes closed to get maximum relief of your discomfort.

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