Your brain rapidly interprets information it receives from your eyes, pressure sensations in the feet, sounds, and information from the vestibular system to determine its position in space. Of these systems, the vestibular system is the most critical. Without it, you are likely to experience dizziness, nausea, and you may not be able to stand or walk depending on the severity.

Symptoms can range from numbness or tingling to pricking sensations (paresthesia) or muscle weakness. Areas of the body may become abnormally sensitive, leading to an exaggeratedly intense or distorted experience of touch (allodynia). In such cases, the pain may occur in response to a stimulus that is not normally painful. Serious symptoms may include burning pain (especially at night), muscle atrophy, paralysis, or organ or gland dysfunction.

When these systems are not working, it can be very uncomfortable. You might experience vertigo, nausea, or other discomforts. It is important that we take care of the vestibular system. Here at The Neuro Clinic we utilize a number of different devices and therapies to bring a lagging vestibular system up to par. We might use rotational exercises or movements to stimulate vestibular feedback.

Frequently in conditions like post concussion syndrome or other physically traumatic events, there were shearing forces inside the brain that affected the vestibular system. The resulting vestibular damage might cause a patient to feel dizzy, nauseous, have a really hard time reading, or they might experience some autonomic changes (feeling more anxious or nervous than normal).