Casablanca - Yousra Mostafa
Physiotherapist Majida Al Kersh
Zaynab has suffered from dizzy spells most of her life. There were days when she couldn’t get out of bed and her weight drastically dropped down with time. Visits to neurologist offices and emergency rooms did not provide her with any answers and Zaynab continued to lose consciousness more frequently.
She was forced to retire from her job as a physics teacher, until her friend made an interesting suggestion. She suggested why not go see a physician specialised in vestibular rehabilitation treatment.
Physiotherapist Majida Al Kersh defines dizziness as impairment in spatial perception and stability, in which patients have no sense of balance. It can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Al Kersh said dizziness is a symptom not a disease and can be diagnosed through examination.
In order to determine the route of the lightheadedness we have to first understand the position of the body in respect to its surrounding space. Our perception of balance is detected by our internal ear – any disturbances to it will cause the person to feel dizzy, which can vary from one case to another, sometimes lasting three seconds to 30 minutes.
She added \"there are three types of dizziness; the first is vertigo mostly accompanied by sickness and vomiting, or increasing or decreasing blood pressure. The patient feels his head is revolving, sometimes he sees fixed things moving, everywhere, and is unable to stand still. The second type is sensation of being off balance. Some assume it\'s due to eye problems. The third type is a general feeling of weakness and feeling faint.”
It’s not enough to determine the type of dizziness, it’s very important to determine the main reason; it may be the inner or outer ear, or the right or left side.
Patients will need physiotherapy sessions ranged from eight to 15 sessions and it may reach 20 sessions depending on the patient and the case.
Doctors advise patient not to drive outside in this state. Before starting a physiotherapy session, doctors recommend that patients should stop eating three hours before every session and not to exert in any kind of sports such as swimming.