We treat vertigo and BPPV at our Roxboro clinic in the West Island. A vestibular assessment pinpoints the cause, and for BPPV the Epley manoeuvre often resolves it in one or two sessions. Book directly, no referral needed.
Symptoms
Vertigo is the sensation that you or the room is spinning, even when you’re still. Most cases come from a brief, intense spinning triggered by specific head movements: rolling over in bed, looking up to a high shelf, tilting your head back at the sink. Each episode usually lasts under a minute, but the residual dizziness and nausea can linger for hours.
Other symptoms that often come along:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of balance, especially turning corners
- Visual blurring during movement
- Anxiety about the next episode
Causes
The most common cause is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear become dislodged and float into a balance canal where they don’t belong. Head movements then send false signals to your brain.
Other causes we screen for:
- Vestibular neuritis. Viral inflammation of the balance nerve.
- Vestibular migraine. Vertigo as part of a migraine pattern.
- Ménière’s disease. Episodic vertigo with hearing changes and tinnitus.
- Cervicogenic dizziness. Referred from neck dysfunction.
Identifying the right cause changes the treatment. A 60-minute vestibular assessment can usually pinpoint it.
How we treat it at Omnicure
For BPPV, the gold standard is the Epley manoeuvre: a sequence of head positions that guides the displaced crystals back to their proper canal. Performed correctly, it resolves BPPV in 80 to 90% of cases on the first visit.
For other vertigo causes, treatment combines:
- Gaze stabilization exercises
- Balance retraining
- Habituation exercises for motion sensitivity
- Posture and neck mobility work where cervical contribution is present
When to seek immediate care
Vertigo combined with any of the following warrants emergency assessment, not physiotherapy: sudden severe headache, slurred speech, weakness on one side, double vision, loss of consciousness. These can signal a neurological emergency.
Services that treat this
Frequently asked
- Do I need a referral to see a physiotherapist for Vertigo & BPPV?
- No. In Quebec you can book physiotherapy directly, without a doctor’s referral. Some insurance plans require one for reimbursement, so check with your insurer.
- How soon can I book an assessment?
- Call the clinic and we will book your assessment, usually with the physiotherapist and time you prefer. You can also book online any time.
- What languages do you offer care in?
- Our team treats in French, English, Arabic, and Cantonese.