Frequently Asked Questions

Blair currently sees patients during limited hours at State of the Art PT in Raleigh. You can book online for Thursday appointments. To arrange a time outside of Thursday hours, email blair@balancelabnc.com.

No. No referral is required to be seen. If your evaluation suggests you'd benefit from additional medical testing or consultation, we can communicate with your physician and help coordinate next steps.

Pricing is shown when you book.

This is an out-of-network practice with all insurance plans. Payment is due at the time of service, and physical therapy claims are submitted to your insurance company on your behalf for any available out-of-network reimbursement. Any reimbursement is sent directly to you and may count toward your out-of-network deductible, depending on your plan. Major credit cards, HSA, and FSA payments are accepted.

It's a specialized form of physical therapy that evaluates and treats dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, motion sensitivity, and movement-related visual disturbances — symptoms that can come from the inner ear, the brain, or other parts of the balance system. The goal is to find the source of your symptoms and help you move through daily life with less dizziness, better balance, and more confidence.

Vertigo (spinning), dizziness and lightheadedness, unsteadiness and balance problems, motion sensitivity, trouble focusing your vision while moving, symptoms triggered by rolling over or looking up or bending down, and persistent dizziness after a concussion, illness, or injury — among others.

Common ones include BPPV, vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis, vestibular migraine, PPPD, post-concussion dizziness, cervicogenic (neck-related) dizziness, Ménière's disease, bilateral vestibular loss, and age-related balance and fall risk.

Yes. Research consistently supports vestibular rehabilitation as an effective treatment for many vestibular and balance disorders. Treatment is individualized and based on current evidence, and people commonly see improvements in dizziness, balance, stability, vision-related symptoms, confidence with movement, and everyday activities.

Your first visit is comprehensive: a detailed discussion of your symptoms and history, assessment of your eye movements and visual tracking, evaluation of inner-ear function, a balance and walking assessment, positional testing for BPPV, and examination of your neck when relevant. You'll leave with a clear explanation of what's going on and an individualized plan.

Possibly. Many vestibular tests are designed to briefly reproduce your symptoms so we can identify what triggers them. Any symptom provocation is carefully monitored and usually settles quickly — and it helps us pinpoint the cause and the best treatment.

If possible, avoid taking Meclizine (Antivert) beforehand, since it can affect the accuracy of testing. Nausea medications such as Zofran are generally fine and may make testing more comfortable. If you're unsure about a medication, contact us first — and don't stop a prescribed medication without checking with your prescriber.

Infrared video goggles let us observe and record subtle, involuntary eye movements (nystagmus) that aren't visible to the naked eye. They improve diagnostic accuracy and provide valuable information about how your balance system is working.

Even when a test looks the same, it's often used for a different purpose. Other providers may use vestibular tests to establish or rule out a diagnosis; we use many of the same tests to understand how your symptoms affect your movement, balance, vision, and daily life — and to establish a baseline, choose the right exercises, set the right challenge level, and track your progress over time.

BPPV is usually treated with a specific repositioning maneuver that moves the displaced inner-ear crystals back where they belong. Many people improve significantly after one or a few sessions.

Most people receive a customized home exercise program — which may include gaze stabilization, balance training, motion-sensitivity reduction, habituation, walking and mobility, and neck-related work when appropriate. Consistency with your home program is one of the most important factors in recovery.

It varies with your diagnosis and symptom severity. BPPV often improves in one or two visits, while conditions like vestibular hypofunction, vestibular migraine, PPPD, post-concussion dizziness, and complex balance disorders typically take a longer, progressive course. You'll get an individualized recommendation after your evaluation.