Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre

14/10/2021

Very proud to announce the award of Best Vestibular Rehabilitation & Concussion Management Clinic - UK, in the latest SME awards! (www.sme-news.co.uk/winners/dizziness-balance-concussion-centre/) Delighted to have been recognised after all the hard work! To see how an award-winning clinic can help y...

15/10/2020

A blog looking at vision problems after a concussion

Many people associate concussion with symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, feeling ‘in a fog’ and issues with lights and noise. Often, they do not know why these issues are present and what is driving them, but they can often find a link to their eyesight. With this in mind, they go and have a...

13/02/2020

Should I sleep after a concussion?

After suffering a concussion, many people feel tired and hope a good night’s sleep will help them feel better.

But should you go to sleep after a concussion? Do you need to wake up in the night to make sure everything is okay?

There is no issue with sleeping after a concussion as such BUT we need to make sure there are no other serious issues present - which is made more difficult when someone is asleep.

Certainly, going straight to sleep after a concussion is not advised and if someone takes a bang to the head and struggles to stay awake, get immediate medical attention.

With respect to sleep in general after a concussion, older advice used to be to wake someone regularly (every 2-3 hours) through the night to check whether there are any new symptoms such as slurred speech, confusion etc. which would be a sign of a bleed or other serious pathology.

By waking someone regularly you can also make sure someone hasn’t become unconscious (again a sign of a more serious pathology which needs urgent care) while sleeping. Obviously, if someone is awake or is able to be woken up then they are not unconscious – but this is very difficult to detect if they are just left ‘sleeping.’

By waking someone often, if a deterioration in their condition is found then you can then get immediate help – catching the issues sooner rather than waiting until the morning when it may be too late.

However, the current thinking suggests this isn’t necessary. The reasoning behind this is that more serious and urgent pathologies, such as a bleed, usually would present themselves within the first 2-3 hours after a concussion.

So monitoring someone closely in this period, the first 2-3 hours after a blow to the head, is very important. If there are any worrying symptoms or any doubts about someone’s condition, then getting immediate medical attention is crucial and should be done immediately.

But if everything is okay during this period, then normal sleep is okay.

HOWEVER, even though the research suggests normal sleep is okay, there are always some situations which do not fit the general guidelines. Thankfully these are rare, but equally they can happen. In these cases, when speed is of the essence, it is better to find out something is wrong sooner in the night rather than waiting until morning.

SO, waking yourself or your child/ spouse etc. a couple of times through the night is not a bad thing to do to make sure they are okay. You may be tired the next day, but other than that, it will do them no harm and will give you some peace of mind as well.

If you or someone you know has any issues with concussion – needs treatment or advice – then get in touch with the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre to see how we can help.

04/02/2020

Everyday struggles with dizziness.

Thankfully, many people will not experience prolonged dizziness, vertigo or balance issues.

But, with 40% of people having an issue with dizziness and vertigo at some point in their lifetime, the chances are you will, or have, come across someone who does.

Without experiencing these symptoms yourself it can be hard to appreciate which situations can make their dizziness worse.

Here are some tasks people with dizziness can struggle with:

• Supermarkets – the different shapes and colours on the shelves and in someone’s peripheral vision can be very disorientation for many. Add in the lighting and seeing the floor through the trolley while it is moving and it can trigger serious dizziness and unbalance.

• Escalators – often worse going down. Can be a big problem in some bigger shops where there are no steps, since lifts can also cause problems for many.

• Passenger in a car/bus – many think this is just normal and should just be accepted, but can often be a sign of an underlying visual provoked dizziness or other vestibular dysfunction. When a journey in a car makes you feel so bad, many stop taking the journeys and start becoming isolated – which can lead to many other issues.

• Parties/ Cafés – with a buoyant environment many would never think of this as a trigger. But, with lots of movement, hustle and bustle and having to concentrate on someone’s mouth and face while they talk is tough for many and makes the whole experience an ordeal.

• Getting something out of a bottom/ top shelf – bending down in general can throw many people off and can lead to falls. If someone lives on their own this becomes a bigger problem and often leads to them taking unnecessary risks or going without. If you know someone who has these problems, ask if they need help rearranging their kitchen cupboards to help them find it easier to cook and cope.

• Cinemas – the dark lighting can play havoc with the senses and the movement on the screen leads to many closing their eyes and hoping the film is over quickly. The imbalance can be serious on the stairs - so if someone is using their phone light to get in and out of the cinema this may be why so go easy on them. Although, it’s no excuse for having the ringer on loud!

• Funky wallpaper – more popular now than previous, but the patterns and colours can make many feel nauseous and dizzy, leading them to turn away or run for the exit. Maybe something to bear in mind when redecorating an office or reception area?

• Lifts – as mentioned earlier - going at a decent spend straight up or down stimulates the otolith organs and can throw someone off kilter for the rest of the day. Since this is an issue with movement, closing your eyes is of no benefit so many just hope the ride is over soon without too many stops.

• Washing hair – holding the head back can set the world off spinning and is not a pleasant experience. Couple this with the fact they may be doing it by themselves in a wet, slippery shower and you can imagine how easy it is for an accident to happen. It is safer to wash your hair while sat down on a bath chair and to have grab rails installed for support. If possible, have someone else present or use dry shampoo when you don’t need a thorough rinse and repeat.

• Walking – sunlight through the trees, different patterns of the countryside, dull lighting and uneven ground among many other issues can all make a leisurely stroll into a slog. The promise of a pint at the end, isn’t usually that much of a reward/ incentive for someone who already has balance and dizziness issues.

• Bridges – all of a sudden you go over a bridge in a car or when walking and the earth on each side of you has gone out of your peripheral vision. This ‘loss’ of ground in our vision can be very disorientating for many.

• Dentists – back to the issues of leaning a head back. If someone already has a fear of the dentist chair, feeling dizzy as well is not going to make a visit a particularly enjoyable one!

If you or anyone you know struggles with any of these issues, there is help! Contact the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre and tell us your issues, so we can help you regain your balance. Or visit www.dizzinesstherapy.co.uk/blog for more help and advice.

16/01/2020

How fast after a concussion should I start treatment?

Many people still believe rest is the best way to treat a concussion.

This advice has been around for a long time and is still advised by many doctors. However, for many years the research has shown rest beyond 2-3 days to not be beneficial and can actually be detrimental to recovery!

In fact, new research supports starting a concussion rehabilitation programme as soon as possible to help speed up recovery, reduce the chances of complications and prevent an unnecessarily longer recovery.

So, what does a concussion rehabilitation programme look like?

That all depends on what the assessment finds. The assessment will look at the vestibular-ocular system, blood flow abnormalities, structural changes in muscle tensions and any whiplash issues which are common alongside a concussion. From these finding a tailored concussion programme will be put in place.

As such, the rehabilitation programme will include any or all of the following:

• vestibular-ocular rehabilitation
• physiotherapy
• diet and nutrition
• exercise therapy
• education and reassurance

Depending on your needs, further testing will take place to help determine when it is safe for you to return to contact sports and reduce the chances of secondary impact syndrome.

If you have any questions surrounding concussion, or need treatment for yourself or someone you know, just get in touch to see how the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre can help.

10/01/2020

A look at vestibular migraine and how vestibular rehabilitation can help - some tips to help with migraines as well. Any questions or comments just let me know!

07/01/2020

Secondary impact syndrome and concussion.

I often hear about children and athletes taking a bang to the head and not realising they had a concussion.

They feel “off it” for a few days, then the symptoms pass, and by the time the next game comes around (usually a week later), they jump straight back in.

Unfortunately, in many of these cases they had suffered a concussion and although their symptoms had cleared up after a few days/ weeks, that does not mean their brain tissue had recovered.

In fact, we believe it takes between 20 and 45 days for the brain to recover!

Until the brain has recovered, the player is at a significant risk of secondary impact syndrome – having further forces go through brain tissue while it is still recovering. The results of which can be permanent brain damage or death.

If you, your child, or someone you know “feels off”, “in a fog” or gets headaches, dizziness or any other symptoms after a bang to the head, go and see a doctor or someone with specialist training in concussion.

Firstly, to rule out more serious issues and then help you recover and advise when it is safe to return to sports. It’s important to see someone who specialises in concussion, because we use various tests to make the best and safest decision possible, even for those who do not have a baseline test.

If you, or anyone you know, have had a concussion (or if you’re involved in contact sports) get in touch with the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre to see how we can help.

15/12/2019

What can you do when you become dizzy?

Being dizzy is not a pleasant experience!

It is scary, frustrating, debilitating and affects all aspects of your life – talking or getting information about what is happening can be difficult, but that’s where the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre comes in.

Thankfully, although the experience is an awful one, there is usually a benign reason behind it rather than a medical emergency (although, we need to rule the more serious things out).

But what can I do to help when dizziness strikes? What will make me be able to cope when my world is spinning?

For some advice and practical tips download the ‘What can I do when I feel dizzy?’ information booklet – or get in touch to talk about what you’re experiencing for some reassurance and advice – or do both!

If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing dizziness, vertigo or issues with their balance – check out the information booklet by clicking on the button below – or get in touch to see how the Dizziness, Balance & Concussion Centre can help.

04/12/2019

When the Christmas Season Becomes a Nightmare! For many, the run up to Christmas is a magical time all about the happy social events, colourful decorations and Christmas shopping. The hustle and bustle ispar for the course and for many, an important part of the festivities. But, what if all of the e...

27/11/2019

Dizziness and anxiety Many patients ask whether their dizziness/ vertigo symptoms are caused by their anxiety. They believe their symptoms are ‘made up’ and ‘in their head’ and that if they could stop worrying they would be better. Unfortunately, this belief can be fueled by a lack of unders...

13/11/2019

Can you prevent a concussion? This is a question that comes up often and the simple answer is yes, but in reality no. If you never suffer an accident (car accident, trip or fall) and don’t play a sport where you could have a collision (which doesn’t have to be to the head), then you will never h...

07/11/2019

Vestibular Migraine Migraines can be debilitating in their own right – add dizziness, vertigo and balance issues to mix and it makes a bad situation worse. Vestibular migraines are difficult to diagnose and often lead to lingering issues with dizziness, vertigo and balance which can last indefinit...