I’ve been battling chronic pain for over 11 years now. Alongside the pain, I’ve also been dealing with constant dizziness and head pressure. At first, the dizziness was more of a lightheaded, spacey, or floaty feeling that went hand in hand with the pressure in my head. The worse the head pressure, the more intense the dizziness. Over time, the type of dizziness I experience has shifted, especially in the past couple years, and then peaking in 2024, becoming more debilitating.
Now, I feel off-balance constantly when I’m upright, and sometimes after eating, I experience presyncope (that "almost fainting" feeling) when I stand up or hunch over. I feel like I have to put so much effort into staying grounded and stable when I’m standing or walking. On top of that, I periodically get vertigo, especially if I make sudden or quick movements with my head.
Dizziness has been one of the most disabling symptoms I’ve had to deal with, making it hard to function the way I’d like. There are so many reasons why people experience dizziness, from medication changes to neurological conditions like Parkinson’s. When dealing with an unexplained chronic illness, dizziness is one of the hardest symptoms to figure out and treat.
Although I haven’t completely figured it out for myself yet, here are 7 treatments I’ve tried or am interested in trying that might offer some hope if you're in a similar boat.
I’ve heard a lot about Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) being helpful for people with inner ear or balance issues. It’s a type of physical therapy specifically designed to help with dizziness by retraining the brain and body to process balance signals better.
A therapist can work with you to create exercises tailored to your symptoms, which can involve things like head movements, gaze stabilization exercises, or balance training. The goal is to help the brain compensate for any miscommunication between your inner ear and your brain, which might be causing your dizziness.
While I’ve done a few of these exercises with my physical therapist, I haven’t done a dedicated VRT program yet. However, I’ve heard that for those whose dizziness stems from their vestibular system (basically, the system in our body that controls balance), it can make a significant difference over time.
Functional neurology is something I’ve explored deeply in 2024. It’s a field that focuses on non-invasive ways to help improve how the brain functions, especially for things like balance and coordination. Functional neurologists use a variety of exercises that are designed to improve how your brain communicates with your body. This can involve things like eye-tracking exercises, sensory training, and other brain stimulation activities. It’s all about getting different parts of the brain to work together better.
This ties into the concept of neuroplasticity, which is basically the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself. I’ve learned that by doing specific brain exercises, you can help retrain your brain to process balance signals more effectively. It’s not a quick fix, but over time, neuroplasticity exercises may help change the way your brain handles balance, which is huge for someone dealing with chronic dizziness like me.
Another thing I’m curious about is neurofeedback. From what I understand, it’s a type of therapy where you get real-time feedback on your brain’s activity through sensors placed on your scalp. The idea is to learn how to control your brainwaves, and this could be helpful for people whose dizziness is linked to abnormal brain activity. While I haven’t tried neurofeedback yet, I’ve heard positive things about how it can help with balance and coordination issues.
Acupuncture is another treatment I’ve looked into for dizziness. It’s been around for thousands of years and comes from traditional Chinese medicine. The basic idea is that by placing tiny needles into certain points on the body, you can restore balance in your energy flow (or Qi). According to Chinese medicine, dizziness can sometimes be caused by imbalances in the body, especially related to the liver and kidneys, which are believed to play a role in balance and coordination.
I’ve tried acupuncture a few times, and while it didn’t cure my dizziness, I did notice a temporary reduction in my symptoms. I saw it as a more meditative experience. Admittedly, I didn’t have a consistent plan which could have led to different results had I not gone at random times.
Acupuncture is also supposed to help with blood circulation and inflammation, which could be contributing factors to dizziness. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for those who are open to more holistic treatments, it might be worth exploring.
I’ve learned that posture and how we hold tension in our body can make dizziness worse, especially if your neck and shoulders are tight. The Alexander Technique is something that helps you become more aware of your posture and how you move. By improving posture and alignment, you may be able to reduce the tension that could be contributing to dizziness.
I haven’t worked extensively with the Alexander Technique yet, but I’ve tried practicing better posture and body awareness throughout the day, and I’ve noticed that it can help take some pressure off my neck and head. I’m still learning about it, but it’s interesting to think about how something as simple as posture could play a big role in how balanced you feel.
I haven’t tried Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) myself yet, but it’s been on my radar as an experimental treatment. It involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, which allows your body to absorb more oxygen than it normally would. Some people say this helps improve circulation and brain function, which could be helpful for those dealing with dizziness due to neurological issues or poor blood flow.
HBOT is mostly used for treating conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning or wound healing, but there’s some talk about its potential to help with dizziness. While it’s not widely accepted as a dizziness treatment, I’m interested to see if it might offer some benefits, especially for people whose dizziness may be linked to oxygenation issues in the brain.
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is another gentle, hands-on therapy I’ve tried. It involves a practitioner lightly touching your head, neck, and spine to release tension and improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The idea is that by improving this fluid flow, you might relieve symptoms like dizziness, especially if they’re related to tension in the head, neck, or back.
I’ve only done one session of CST, and I felt a little more relaxed after the session, but overall, I left slightly disappointed. The science behind it is still debated, but there are a lot of success stories out there, and some people swear by it. If you’re interested in exploring a technique that uses more energy work as treatment, CST could be worth exploring.
Functional medicine takes a more holistic approach to treating dizziness, looking at everything from diet to hormones to underlying health conditions. One of the things I like about functional medicine is how it focuses on getting to the root cause of symptoms, rather than just treating them. For instance, chronic dizziness could be related to blood sugar imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, or even gut health issues.
In my own experience, I’ve looked into nutritional deficiencies, gut health testing, and supplements like magnesium, vitamin d3, coq10 and gingko biloba have been recommended to me. Magnesium is important for nerve and muscle function, while gingko is thought to improve circulation. I’ve also heard of people finding relief from dizziness by taking ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties.
I’m still exploring the world of functional medicine, and while my results have been mixed with my first experience, I’m starting to get better progress with a different clinic. I think functional medicine has a lot of potential for people who haven’t found relief through more traditional approaches. It’s all about taking a personalized approach and finding out what works best for your body.
Living with chronic dizziness is exhausting, especially when you’re dealing with it alongside other chronic symptoms. Over the years, I’ve tried several different treatments, and while I’m still on my journey to finding relief, these 7 approaches have either helped me or sparked my interest.
From functional neurology and acupuncture to functional medicine, there are a lot of alternative treatments out there that might provide some relief. If you’re struggling with dizziness like I am, I hope this list gives you some ideas for new avenues to explore through yourself or with your healthcare provider.
Have you tried any of these treatments for dizziness?
Let me know in the comments below—I’d love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t worked) for you!
Comments