Balance Disorder & Chronic Dizziness Neuro Chiropractor in Melbourne

Balance disorders are among the core conditions I see. My Functional Neurology training gives me the tools to assess all three balance systems together — the inner ear, the visual system and the proprioceptive system — and identify exactly where the integration failure is occurring. If you have been told your tests are normal but you are still struggling with balance, dizziness or unsteadiness, I want to hear what has been happening. Call me directly before you book if you are unsure.

Standard testing assesses each balance system individually. It does not assess how all three systems are integrating at the neurological level. A balance disorder can exist entirely within that integration failure. The inner ear, visual system and proprioceptive system each test normally in isolation, but the brain is not coordinating them accurately together. A normal test result with ongoing symptoms means the right assessment has not been done yet. A neurological assessment looks at the whole system simultaneously and identifies where the breakdown is actually occurring.

Yes. Care is carefully paced and adapted to individual tolerance. Sessions are designed to support regulation without pushing the system into overload or symptom flares.

Definitely not. Balance issues are a part of Post Concussion Syndrome, and they respond well to targeted neurological rehabilitation regardless of how long symptoms have been present. The brain retains the ability to form new neurological pathways at any stage. The key is identifying exactly what was disrupted and retraining it directly. That is what I assess for and treat.

It is because balance disorders are more complex than a single error pattern. The Epley manoeuvre is usually effective for BPPV specifically. Beyond this, vestibular physio typically improves compensation patterns, but does not, IMHO, address the root cause of the issues.

A persistent balance issue is a complex integration problem, hence neither of these approaches will resolve it. 

That is why I ask different questions and seek to resolve the root cause of what is causing your issues.

Yes. This is more common than most people realise. A significant head impact, a severe inner ear infection or a fall that jars the upper cervical spine can all disrupt vestibular and neurological function in ways that do not resolve on their own. If the disruption was never properly identified and rehabilitated, the brain adapts to the dysfunction and symptoms become the new normal. Years later those same symptoms — dizziness, brain fog, headaches, balance problems — are still present because the underlying neurological dysfunction was never treated. It is not too late to address it.

Not at all. Caution is advised on the day of your first session, as you will need to get use to the 'software update'. After that, carefully graded activity is actually an important part of recovery. The key is matching the type and intensity of exercise to what your nervous system can tolerate at each stage. Pushing too hard too soon can worsen symptoms and delay recovery. I guide this process throughout your care so your activity levels progress safely alongside your neurological rehabilitation.

Your brain changes within seconds during the treatment session.  However, this is not sustained because it is novel. that is why I give specific home movement patterns for you to do.  This helps create long term change.  Overall, complete recovery varies significantly between people. Some experience full recovery within a few sessions. Others, particularly those with post concussion syndrome or a history of multiple concussions, require longer and more structured neurological rehabilitation. In my experience, a minimum of 6 sessions is needed to achieve meaningful and lasting change. I will give you an honest timeline at your first appointment based on your specific neurological findings.

A minimum of 6 sessions is needed to achieve meaningful and lasting change. The exact number depends on how long you have had symptoms, the type and complexity of your balance disorder, and your overall neurological health. I will give you an honest and specific timeline at your first appointment. No locked in packages and no generic protocols.

Yes. Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness is a functional neurological condition in which the brain becomes sensitised to movement and sensory input following an initial trigger such as vestibular neuritis, a concussion or a period of intense stress. The vestibular system itself may have recovered but the brain has learned a pattern of dizziness and keeps running it. Targeted functional neurology rehabilitation addresses that learned neurological pattern directly, gradually desensitising the system and restoring accurate processing.

Yes. Brain fog and fatigue after associated with balance issues and are neurological symptoms, not signs of laziness or deconditioning. They occur because the brain is working harder than normal to compensate for disrupted processing pathways. Targeted functional neurology rehabilitation reduces that neurological load by restoring accurate processing, which is why brain fog and fatigue often improve significantly as treatment progresses.

No. Many people who come to see me have been experiencing balance problems, dizziness or unsteadiness for months or years without a clear diagnosis. If your symptoms are consistent with a balance disorder, a neurological assessment is the right starting point regardless of whether a formal diagnosis has been made. I will tell you exactly what I find.

Yes, chiropractic care is covered by most extras policies including Medibank, BUPA, HCF, NIB and AHM. I process health fund claims on the spot. Rebate amounts vary by policy — worth checking with your fund before booking.

Yes, with the right guidance. Graded exercise and movement are an important part of balance rehabilitation. Complete rest allows the nervous system to maintain its compensatory patterns rather than correcting them. The key is matching the type and intensity of activity to what your nervous system can accurately process at each stage. I guide this throughout your care with take home exercises and neurological drills specific to your findings.

Yes. Viral illnesses including COVID-19, glandular fever and inner ear infections can cause vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, which inflame and damage the vestibular nerve or inner ear structures. This disrupts the signals the brain receives from the inner ear and can result in persistent dizziness, unsteadiness and balance problems that do not resolve on their own. Post viral balance dysfunction responds well to targeted neurological and vestibular rehabilitation when the specific pathways involved are identified and treated directly.

Yes. The upper cervical spine sends critical proprioceptive signals directly to the vestibular nuclei in the brainstem. When the neck is injured through whiplash, trauma or prolonged dysfunction, those signals become inaccurate. The brain receives conflicting information from the neck and the inner ear and cannot accurately determine where the body is in space. Cervicogenic dizziness and balance dysfunction is one of the most commonly missed diagnoses in people with persistent balance problems, particularly following a car accident or sports injury. It is a core part of what I assess for.

Yes. Mal de Debarquement Syndrome is one of the most debilitating and misunderstood balance conditions there is, and 15 years is a long time to have been living with it. But duration alone does not determine whether recovery is possible.

The brain retains neuroplasticity at any age and at any stage of a condition. What that means in practice is that the learned neurological pattern driving your MdDS can be recallibrated and retrained with an accurate stable reference. This is what I do on a daily basis with targeted Functional Neurology Neuro Rehabilitation.

Yes, a balance (vestibular) disorder can be misdiagnosed as a mental health problem, such as anxiety or panic disorder. This is a very complex relationship.

When there is an error in your sense of where you are, that essentially results in your inner self feeling stressed and increasing cortisol and adrenaline just in case you need to escape from a situation. This may leave you feeling drained and fatigued, or 'wired and tired'. It can also explain long term anxiety.

Fixing the balance issues directly reduces anxiety and allows your body to begin to unwind. I treat many people with long histories of anxiety and depression and panic attacks. While these terms can be a sole diagnosis, all of the patients I see have had events or symptoms of a balance disorder before their medical diagnosis of mental health concerns.