Vestibular Rehabilitation in Clifton, NJ: Dizziness, Vertigo & BPPV

Dizziness, spinning, or feeling unsteady on your feet can make everyday activities, like getting out of bed, driving, or walking through a store, feel uncertain. At Clifton Physical Therapy, vestibular rehabilitation is one-on-one physical therapy focused on helping your eyes, inner ears, and body work together again. No referral is needed to schedule an evaluation.

Schedule a vestibular evaluation

Or call (973) 241-1338

What Is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation is a type of physical therapy for dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems related to the vestibular system, the balance system in the inner ear. Your brain combines information from the inner ears, eyes, and the muscles and joints of your body to keep you balanced. When those signals don't match, you may feel dizzy, unsteady, or as if your surroundings are moving.

Instead of simply avoiding the movements that make you dizzy, vestibular rehab uses controlled, gradually progressed movements so your brain can adapt. A program is not the same for everyone: exercises are selected after an evaluation, based on what is causing your symptoms and how well you tolerate movement. The goal is to challenge your balance system without pushing you into severe symptoms or putting you at risk of falling.

For examples of specific exercises, read What Are Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises?

Symptoms Vestibular Rehab May Help With

Consider an evaluation if any of these are affecting work, exercise, driving, sleep, or daily activities:

• Spinning (vertigo) or lightheaded dizziness. Read Can Physical Therapy Help Vertigo?
• Dizziness when you turn your head, look up, or roll over in bed. Read Why Do I Get Dizzy When I Turn My Head?
• Feeling off-balance or unsteady while standing or walking, even without dizziness. Read Why Do I Feel Off-Balance but Not Dizzy?
• Blurry or jumpy vision when your head moves
• Symptoms in busy visual environments, such as stores, scrolling screens, or traffic
• Reduced confidence with everyday activities or fear of falling

BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)

BPPV causes brief episodes of spinning triggered by changes in head position, such as lying down, rolling over, or looking up. It is usually associated with displaced crystals in the inner ear. At Clifton Physical Therapy, we test for BPPV in the clinic and, when appropriate, treat it with canalith repositioning maneuvers such as the Epley maneuver, a sequence of head and body positions intended to move the crystals back toward their normal location. If you have BPPV, you may not need a long rehabilitation program.

Learn more: What Is BPPV? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Vestibular Migraine

Vestibular migraine can cause episodes of dizziness, vertigo, motion sensitivity, and imbalance, with or without a headache. Diagnosis and medical management of migraine are handled by your physician. We work alongside your physician, using physical therapy to address the dizziness, motion sensitivity, and balance problems that can come with vestibular migraine.

Learn more: Vestibular Migraine Treatment in NJ

Balance and Gait Training

Vestibular problems don't only affect how you feel when your head moves; they can also make standing and walking feel less stable. Balance training may start with simple activities, like standing with your feet together or shifting your weight, and progress by adding head movements, reducing visual input, standing on softer surfaces, changing direction while walking, or walking while doing a simple mental task. These progressions are designed to resemble what you encounter in everyday life.

Our clinic also uses suspension therapy, which lets you practice balance and movement with support, and a 3D movement scan to help assess how you move as part of your balance program.

Gaze Stabilization

Gaze stabilization exercises train you to keep your vision focused on a still target while your head moves. They can be particularly useful when head movement causes blurred vision or dizziness. A common version is keeping your eyes on a small letter at eye level while slowly turning your head side to side, then up and down, progressing speed, position (sitting to standing), and background as your control improves.

A related approach, habituation, uses carefully repeated exposure to movements or visual situations that trigger symptoms so the response can gradually lessen. Mild, short-lived symptoms during exercises can be expected; severe dizziness means the exercise is too hard for now.

Who Treats Vestibular Patients at Clifton Physical Therapy

Vestibular care is provided by Tiffany Zarcone, PT, DPT, Clinical Director of Clifton Physical Therapy. Dr. Zarcone earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Columbia University and provides one-on-one care for patients with dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems.

What Happens at Your First Visit

Your first visit is a one-hour patient evaluation. No referral is needed.

1. History: what your symptoms feel like, when they started, what triggers them, how long episodes last, and your medical history and medications.
2. Examination: may include eye and head movement checks, positional testing, and a balance and walking assessment.
3. Plan: your physical therapist explains the findings in plain language and starts a plan, which may include in-clinic treatment and a home exercise program.
4. Safety: if your therapist suspects a cause outside physical therapy, you'll be referred to the appropriate provider.

Tips: wear comfortable clothes and shoes, bring a list of your medications, and consider having someone drive you if your symptoms affect driving.

Insurance

We accept most insurance providers and can check your insurance benefits before your first visit. Some plans have their own requirements, so call us at (973) 241-1338 with questions about your coverage.

When Dizziness Is an Emergency

Vestibular rehabilitation is not emergency care. Use BE FAST to recognize possible stroke signs, and call 911 right away if dizziness comes with any of them:

• B – Balance: sudden loss of balance or coordination
• E – Eyes: sudden vision loss or double vision
• F – Face: one side of the face drooping
• A – Arms: weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, especially on one side
• S – Speech: slurred speech or trouble speaking or understanding
• T – Time: call 911 immediately and note when symptoms started

Also call 911 for dizziness with a sudden severe headache, fainting, chest pain, or trouble breathing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is vestibular rehabilitation?

A type of physical therapy that uses specific, gradually progressed exercises to reduce dizziness and improve balance and gaze stability when the inner-ear balance system and brain aren't working together normally.

Can physical therapy help vertigo?

It can, but it depends on the cause. BPPV is commonly treated with repositioning maneuvers such as the Epley maneuver, which we perform in the clinic, while inner-ear weakness is typically treated with an exercise program. An evaluation helps identify which approach fits.

How long does vestibular rehabilitation take?

It varies. Some people notice changes within a few weeks; others need several weeks or longer, depending on the cause and severity, how long symptoms have been present, and overall health. Your therapist will discuss expectations after your evaluation.

Is it normal to feel dizzy during vestibular exercises?

Mild, short-lived dizziness can be expected, since some exercises intentionally challenge the balance system. If an exercise causes severe dizziness, significant imbalance, or pain, stop and talk with your therapist.

Do I need a referral?

No. You do not need a referral to schedule a vestibular evaluation at Clifton Physical Therapy.

How long is the first visit?

Your first visit is a one-hour patient evaluation.

Do you take insurance?

We accept most insurance providers and can check your benefits before your first visit. Call (973) 241-1338 with coverage questions.

When should I call 911 instead?

Call 911 for dizziness with sudden loss of balance, vision changes, face drooping, arm or leg weakness, trouble speaking, a sudden severe headache, or fainting.

Where are you located?

1059 Bloomfield Ave, Clifton, NJ 07012.

Ready to feel steadier?

Book your vestibular evaluation today.

Schedule a vestibular evaluation

Or call (973) 241-1338.