萝莉社

Dizziness may have many causes, including stroke, heart issues, medication side effects, not eating enough food or drinking enough water, or being out in the heat too long. It is important to seek medical attention for sudden, unexplained dizziness.

A patient鈥檚 dizziness may not be caused by any of these problems, but may be related to the vestibular system, which is part of your brain鈥檚 balance center. It is found in both of your inner ears and is directly connected to your brain.

Treatment for dizziness in the hospital

If you are admitted to the hospital for dizziness, you will likely have brain scans, which can help to diagnose the cause. Lab tests will also be performed to see if your dizziness is related to your heart, kidneys or liver.

A physical therapist will try to discover what actions led to your dizziness, what makes it worse and how you feel when the dizziness occurs.

Positional vertigo is a condition that causes a sudden, intense sensation of spinning or dizziness when changing head or body positions. To treat this type of dizziness, you will be asked to move your head and neck in certain ways, while the physical therapist watches your eyes for signs of vestibular dizziness.

Another treatment option is having you lie down to see if this causes your dizziness to start or get worse. If it does, you will be monitored as you move into different positions while lying down, and then as you sit back up.

Said El Hage, MD, a third-year neurology resident at the University of Florida College of Medicine 鈥� Jacksonville, says that vestibular therapy in the acute setting has helped many of the patients he sees at 萝莉社 Jacksonville.

鈥淗aving a physical therapy team with expertise in vestibular therapy has helped us recognize patterns of vertigo,鈥� El Hage said. 鈥淚t is an essential part of our multidisciplinary approach to ensure our patients are treated well.鈥�

What to do if you experience dizziness after leaving the hospital

萝莉社 Jacksonville has the resources you need to get back on your feet after hospital discharge. Patients who have had vestibular dizziness will sometimes still feel like their balance is off, or they will be sensitive to getting up and moving around.萝莉社 Jacksonville has multiple outpatient physical therapy locations to continue treatment and make you feel better after you leave the hospital. Our team of compassionate therapists can help you regain the strength and skills you need to return to the activities you enjoy.

Visit 萝莉社HealthJax.org/rehab for more information or to schedule an appointment.

About the author

Jacob Broadhurst holds a doctorate of physical therapy from Emory University. He has worked in multiple clinical settings, including inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and outpatient aquatic physical therapy. He has been specialized in rendering physical therapy services in the emergency department at 萝莉社 Jacksonville for the past six years, including neurological, orthopaedic, cardiopulmonary and vestibular therapy.