Vestibular Assessment (Dizziness & Vertigo Evaluation)

If you’re experiencing dizziness, vertigo, unsteadiness, visual motion sensitivity, or that “floating / off-balance” feeling, the first step is a thorough vestibular assessment.

At Vestibular Rehab Dublin, we carry out a detailed evaluation of your inner ear balance system, your eye movement control, and how your body manages balance and walking — so we can identify what’s driving your symptoms and build a clear, targeted plan to help you recover.

✅ Accurate assessment
✅ Clear diagnosis and explanation
✅ Posturography balance testing (where appropriate)
✅ Virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation options
✅ Personalised vestibular rehab programme

In Short:

  • A vestibular assessment is a detailed dizziness and vertigo evaluation that checks your inner ear balance system, eye movements and balance control.
  • • Assessment + diagnosis in one visit
    • Posturography testing available
    • VR-based vestibular rehab options
What is a Vestibular Assessment?Who is this Assessment for?What Happens During a Vestibular Assessment?What We Commonly Diagnose and TreatWhat Happens After Your Assessment?Why We Use Virtual reality In Vestibular Rehab How Long Does It Take To Recover? Why We Use Virtual reality In Vestibular Reality Is A Vestibular Assessment Safe If I Fell Very Dizzy? When Should I Seek Urgent Medical Attention? Frequently Asked Questions About BPPV
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What is a Vestibular Assessment?

A vestibular assessment is a clinical evaluation used to identify the cause of symptoms such as:
• Vertigo (spinning or sudden room movement)
• Dizziness (lightheaded, foggy, woozy)
• Unsteadiness or imbalance
• Motion sensitivity
(feeling worse in shops, crowds, driving, scrolling)
• Blurred vision with movement
• Nausea or “sea legs” sensation
•
Symptoms after viral illness, concussion, or migraine

‍
Vestibular symptoms can come from several causes — including the inner ear, brain processing, neck, vision, or nervous system — which is why a proper assessment is essential.

Who is this assessment for?

A vestibular assessment is suitable if you:
• Have dizziness that keeps coming back
• Feel “off” or unsteady but can’t explain why
• Have been told you’re “fine” but symptoms persist
• Avoid movement or busy places due to dizziness
• Feel worse with turning in bed, bending down, or looking up
• Have symptoms after BPPV, vestibular neuritis, migraine, or concussion
•
Want clarity and a plan (rather than guessing)

What happens during a Vestibular Assessment?

Your appointment includes a combination of:

1) A detailed symptom and medical history

We’ll ask about:
• When your symptoms started
• Triggers (movement, position changes, busy environments)
• Associated symptoms (headaches, nausea, ear symptoms, anxiety)
• Past medical history and medications
• How symptoms are affecting work, driving, exercise and daily life

This history is often the key to identifying the most likely cause.

2) Eye movement and balance system assessment

Your vestibular system works closely with your eyes. We assess things like:
• Gaze stability
• Eye tracking and reflexes
• Head movement tolerance
• Visual motion sensitivity

‍
In many cases we use Frenzel goggles to improve accuracy when assessing vestibular-related eye movements and positional vertigo.

3) Positional testing (for BPPV / crystals)

If your symptoms suggest BPPV, we’ll perform positional tests such as:
• Dix–Hallpike testing
• Roll testing for horizontal canal BPPV

If BPPV is confirmed, treatment can often be started in the same session.

4) Balance, gait and posturography testing

We assess how your body is managing balance in different environments, including:
• Standing balance (steady / unstable surfaces)
• Walking stability
• Turning and head movement while walking
• Confidence and movement strategy

We also use posturography when appropriate. This provides objective measurement of:
• Your centre of pressure control
•
How you use vision, vestibular input and proprioception for balance
• Which balance systems are compensating or underperforming

This helps us tailor rehab to what your nervous system actually needs, and track progress over time.

5) Clear diagnosis and plan

Before you leave, we will explain:
• What we think is causing your symptoms
• Why it’s happening
• What needs to change to improve
• The best next steps for recovery

What we commonly diagnose and treat

Your symptoms may be linked to one (or a combination) of the following:
• BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)
• Vestibular neuritis / labyrinthitis
• Vestibular hypofunction
(reduced inner ear function)
• Vestibular migraine
• PPPD (Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness)
• Post-concussion dizziness
• Visual vertigo / motion sensitivity
•
Balance confidence and sensory integration issues
• Neck-related dizziness (cervicogenic contributors)

If your presentation suggests a non-vestibular cause or requires medical investigation, we’ll advise you clearly on the best route forward.

What happens after the assessment?

Your treatment plan is tailored to your diagnosis, symptoms and lifestyle.

This may include:
✅ Repositioning manoeuvres for BPPV (e.g. Epley manoeuvre)
✅ Gaze stabilisation exercises to improve vestibular reflex control
✅ Balance retraining to build steadiness and confidence
✅ Habituation exercises to reduce sensitivity to motion triggers
✅ Optokinetic / visual motion training where appropriate
✅ Virtual reality (VR) vestibular rehabilitation to safely retrain balance, gaze control and motion tolerance
✅ Graded exposure plans (shops, driving, busy environments)
✅ Advice on returning safely to walking, gym, running, sport or work

Why we use Virtual Reality (VR) in vestibular rehab

Virtual reality allows us to recreate real-world triggers in a controlled and progressive way — which can be especially helpful if you feel worse in:
•
Supermarkets and shopping centres
•
Crowds and busy visual environments
•
Scrolling, screens and visual motion
•
Driving or public transport
•
Large open spaces or patterned floors

‍VR-based rehab can help reduce symptoms, improve confidence, and restore function without needing to “push through” unpredictably.

How long does it take to recover?

Recovery time varies depending on the diagnosis and how long symptoms have been present.As a general guide:
• BPPV can often improve quickly once treated correctly
• Vestibular neuritis / hypofunction typically improves with a structured rehab plan
• Vestibular migraine and PPPD often require a longer-term approach, but respond very well to consistent rehab

The most important thing is that you don’t have to “just live with it” — there are proven treatment pathways for most vestibular conditions.

Is a vestibular assessment safe if I feel very dizzy?

Yes — vestibular testing can trigger symptoms temporarily, but it is safe and clinically appropriate.

We guide the assessment carefully and adjust the testing based on your tolerance. The goal is to gather the information we need without overwhelming you.

When should I seek urgent medical care?

Seek urgent medical assessment if dizziness comes with:
• facial droop or weakness
• speech problems or confusion
• sudden numbness
‍• severe sudden headache
• chest pain, collapse or fainting
• sudden hearing loss
‍• new double vision

Book a PPPD Assessment in Dublin Today

f you’ve had dizziness for weeks or months — especially symptoms worse in supermarkets, crowds, scrolling, or visually busy environments — PPPD may be part of the picture.

A vestibular assessment can help you understand what’s driving symptoms and give you a clear step-by-step plan to get back to normal life.

✅ In-person assessment in Dublin
✅ Clear explanation and diagnosis pathway
✅ Structured graded rehab plan
✅ Confidence returning with movement and daily life

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a vestibular assessment?

A vestibular assessment is a detailed evaluation of dizziness, vertigo and balance issues. We assess your inner ear balance system, eye movements, and walking/balance control to identify the cause and guide treatment.

2. How long does a vestibular assessment take?

Most appointments take 45–60 minutes, depending on your symptoms and what testing is required.

3. Do I need a GP or consultant referral?

No — you can book directly without a referral. If you have letters, scan reports or previous assessments, feel free to bring them.

4. Will the assessment make me feel dizzy?

It can trigger symptoms temporarily, as some tests reproduce dizziness to confirm what’s happening. We pace everything carefully and tailor the assessment to your tolerance.

5. Can you treat BPPV (crystals) in the first session?

Yes. If testing confirms BPPV, we can usually treat it in the same appointment using repositioning manoeuvres such as the Epley manoeuvre.

6. What is posturography and why do you use it?

Posturography is an objective balance test that measures how your body controls posture and steadiness. It helps us identify whether your balance relies more on vision, vestibular input, or proprioception, and track progress over time.

7. Do you use virtual reality (VR) for vestibular rehab?

Yes. VR allows us to safely recreate real-world triggers (like busy environments) in a controlled way to improve balance, gaze control, and motion tolerance.

8. Can you help if my symptoms are worse in shops, crowds or on screens?

Yes — this is very common and often linked to visual motion sensitivity, PPPD patterns, or vestibular mismatch. Rehab may include graded exposure, optokinetic exercises, and VR-based training.

9. How many sessions will I need?

This depends on your diagnosis and how long symptoms have been present. Some issues (like BPPV) can improve quickly, while others need a structured plan over several weeks.

10. What are the “red flags” where I should seek urgent medical care?

Seek urgent medical attention if dizziness is accompanied by symptoms such as facial droop, weakness, difficulty speaking, fainting/collapse, chest pain, severe sudden headache, or new neurological symptoms.

Related pages

Last reviewed: Feb 2026 — Daniel Quinn (Chartered Physiotherapist, Advanced Vestibular Therapist – Pittsburgh)
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