Treating vertigo, dizziness and loss of balance

Have you ever felt dizzy? You're not alone.  

Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people show up at a hospital emergency room.  

But there are different kinds of dizzy. A lot of people, especially as they age, live with the feeling of being just a little unsteady or off balance.  

Others have experienced true vertigo. That's when the room seems to swirl and tip to the point where you might feel nauseous.  

Dizziness shouldn’t be ignored. Depending on the cause, it can often be treated with medication, surgery or physical therapy exercises. And, it could be a sign of a serious underlying medical issue. 

MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon talks with medical providers to sort through our dizzy symptoms.  

Guests:

• Kristine Feriancek is a physical therapist with HealthPartners Park Nicollet. She has additional certification in treating vestibular disorders. She’s co-leader of TRIA’s vestibular program and sees patients at the TRIA physical therapy clinic in Maple Grove.

• Dr. Tina Huang is an otolaryngologist at M Health Fairview and is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She specializes in concerns of the inner ear and treats dizziness, hearing loss, peripheral vestibular disorders and tumors of the lateral skull base such as vestibular schwannomas and meningiomas.

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.