If you have been experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or a persistent feeling that the room is spinning, you are not imagining it and you are not alone. These symptoms are often caused by a problem with your vestibular system, the complex network of structures in your inner ear and brain that controls your balance and spatial awareness. Vestibular physiotherapy is a specialised, hands on treatment approach designed to assess and treat conditions that affect this system. At Brisbane Physio Clinic Newmarket, our physiotherapists Fred Hsu, Gary Hsu, and Joseph are trained in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation. We help patients across Newmarket, Wilston, Alderley, Grange, and Ashgrove get back to living their normal lives without the constant fear of dizziness or falling.
Your balance system relies on three things working together. Your inner ear, your eyes, and your body’s sense of position (proprioception). When any one of these systems is disrupted, your brain receives conflicting signals. The result is dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or a feeling of unsteadiness that can range from mildly inconvenient to completely debilitating.
The most common vestibular conditions we treat at our Newmarket clinic include:
The most common cause of vertigo. Tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear, called otoliths or ear rocks, become dislodged and move into the wrong part of the ear canal. Every time you change position, whether rolling over in bed, looking up, or bending forward, these crystals shift and trigger an intense but brief spinning sensation. BPPV sounds alarming but is highly treatable with the right physiotherapy technique.
These conditions occur when the vestibular nerve or inner ear becomes inflamed, usually following a viral infection. Patients typically experience a sudden onset of severe dizziness, imbalance, and nausea. While the acute phase resolves on its own, many patients are left with ongoing balance problems and dizziness that responds well to vestibular rehabilitation.
Dizziness originating from the neck rather than the inner ear. If you have had a neck injury, whiplash, or long standing neck stiffness, the joints and muscles of the upper neck can send abnormal signals to the brain that produce dizziness and imbalance. This is often misdiagnosed. A thorough vestibular assessment at our Newmarket clinic can identify whether your neck is contributing to your symptoms.
Ménière’s disease is a chronic disorder of the inner ear that affects balance and hearing. It typically causes recurring episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of pressure or fullness in the affected ear. Symptoms can vary in frequency and severity and may progressively affect hearing over time.
Before any treatment begins, your Newmarket vestibular physiotherapist will conduct a thorough assessment to identify exactly what is causing your symptoms. This is important because the treatment for BPPV is completely different to the treatment for vestibular neuritis, and getting the diagnosis right is the foundation of effective treatment.
Your assessment will include:
Based on the findings, your physiotherapist will explain exactly what is causing your symptoms in plain language with no jargon, and outline a clear treatment plan with realistic expectations for recovery.
If your assessment confirms BPPV, treatment is remarkably effective and often produces significant relief within one to three sessions. The Epley manoeuvre is the most commonly used technique. It involves a series of carefully guided head and body movements that move the displaced calcium crystals back to where they belong in the inner ear. Once repositioned, the crystals no longer trigger vertigo when you move. Most patients notice an immediate reduction in spinning after the manoeuvre is performed.
For conditions like vestibular neuritis, unilateral vestibular hypofunction, and PPPD, the treatment approach is different. Rather than a single manoeuvre, these conditions require a structured program of exercises designed to retrain the brain to compensate for the vestibular deficit. This process is called vestibular compensation. Your exercise program will typically include:
If your dizziness has a cervical component, treatment targets the neck directly through manual therapy, joint mobilisation, soft tissue work, and specific neck exercises to normalise the signals your upper cervical spine is sending to the brain.
Results vary depending on the condition, but vestibular physiotherapy has a strong evidence base.
Vestibular physiotherapy is appropriate for anyone experiencing:
You do not need a GP referral to book a vestibular physiotherapy assessment at Brisbane Physio Clinic Newmarket.
No. You can book directly with our Newmarket vestibular physiotherapy team without a referral. If you have a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP), bring it to your appointment as you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate.
BPPV typically resolves in 1 to 3 sessions. Vestibular rehabilitation for other conditions generally requires 6 to 12 sessions over 6 to 12 weeks, with home exercises forming an important part of recovery.
For BPPV repositioning, you may feel briefly dizzy during the manoeuvre as the crystals move. This is expected and settles quickly. For vestibular rehabilitation exercises, some mild increase in symptoms is normal in the early stages as the brain adapts.
Yes. Vestibular physiotherapy can be effective even for long standing dizziness. The brain retains the ability to compensate and adapt at any stage. Chronic vestibular conditions often respond more slowly than acute ones, but meaningful improvement is achievable.
Yes. Surface and underground parking are available at the complex at 76 Enoggera Road. Newmarket Village is within a 2 minute walk and also has parking available.
Bring any relevant medical imaging (MRI, CT), a list of current medications, any previous medical reports related to your dizziness, and your health fund card. Wear comfortable clothing you can move in.
If dizziness, vertigo, or balance problems are affecting your quality of life, do not wait. Brisbane Physio Clinic Newmarket offers specialised vestibular physiotherapy assessment and treatment with no GP referral required.
