FAQ
What does a first visit exam look like?
Your first visit includes three main parts: VNG eye movement testing, balance testing on the posturography platform, and the tapping assessment.
All of this diagnostic information is gathered in about 15 minutes, giving us a detailed look at how your brain and balance system are functioning right away.
After the testing, we go over your results right then and there. You do not have to wait days or weeks to find out how your brain is functioning.
This is very different from tests like CT scans, MRI, or bloodwork where you often wait for reports and may still not get clear answers about why you feel the way you do.
Because these tests look at how your brain is working in real time, we can start building a targeted rehab plan based on what your nervous system actually needs.
What is Neuroplasticity?
One of the most amazing things about the brain is its ability to change at any age.
This is called neuroplasticity, and it is the reason brain based rehabilitation works.
With the right input, in the right amount, and in the right areas, the brain can strengthen weak pathways and calm overactive ones.
That means improvement is possible even if your symptoms have been present for years.
What does successful rehab actually look like?
Success is not just feeling a little better for a few days.
Success is when your brain has rebuilt stronger, more stable pathways so that symptoms stay away even when life gets busy or stressful.
That is why we focus on building long term changes in how your brain processes movement, vision, balance, and internal signals.
The goal is not endless treatment. The goal is helping your brain learn what it needs so you can move on and live your life.
Why is retesting so important?
We do not just test you once and hope for the best.
Throughout your care, we regularly retest your eye movements, balance, and timing to make sure your brain is actually changing in the right direction.
This lets us confirm that the exercises are working and adjust your program as your brain improves.
It also helps prevent overtraining or doing exercises that are no longer needed.
Your plan evolves as your brain evolves.
Do you replace other medical providers?
I strongly believe in working alongside your other healthcare providers.
Many patients continue care with their primary doctor, neurologist, cardiologist, ENT, or physical therapist while doing brain based rehab.
My role is to focus on how your brain is functioning and help improve the networks that control balance, vision, coordination, and regulation of the nervous system.
When your brain works better, it often supports better outcomes across the rest of your care.
Who can benefit from this treatment?
This type of care is a good fit for people who want to understand what is actually going on in their nervous system and are willing to be active participants in their recovery.
It is especially helpful for people who have tried other approaches and still do not feel like themselves.
If you are looking for a quick adjustment, medication, or passive treatment only, this may not be the right fit.
If you are ready to rehab your brain and commit to the process, this approach can be extremely powerful.
What is functional Neurology?
Functional neurology focuses on how well different parts of your brain are working and how they communicate with each other.
People come in with symptoms like dizziness, balance problems, brain fog, headaches, visual strain, motion sensitivity, anxiety, fatigue, trouble focusing, dysautonomia, and POTS, just to name a few.
Symptoms tell me that something is wrong, but they do not tell me what is wrong. Two people can have the same symptoms and completely different root causes in the brain.
That is why I do not treat symptoms directly. I focus on improving how your brain is functioning by rehabbing the specific areas that are not working well on your testing.
When those brain networks start working the way they are supposed to, symptoms often improve as a result of better overall brain function, not because we chased each symptom one by one.
Why does the brain become dysfunctional in the first place?
The most common cause I see is concussions. These do not have to involve blacking out and they do not have to be recent. Many people had head injuries when they were kids while learning to walk, playing sports, or falling off bikes and never realized the brain was affected.
Viruses are another big factor. They can create inflammation in the nervous system that disrupts how different brain regions communicate with each other.
Other stressors like mold exposure, heavy metals, and parasites can also drive inflammation and affect brain function. These are often grouped together because they tend to overload the immune and nervous systems in similar ways.
Over time, these stressors can change how the brain processes movement, vision, balance, and even internal body signals, which is why symptoms can feel so widespread and confusing.
What is the vestibular system and why is it so important?
Your vestibular system is your balance and spatial awareness system. It tells your brain where your head and body are in space and how you are moving through your environment.
It is made up of two main parts: the semicircular canals, which sense rotation, and the otolith organs, which sense linear movement and head position relative to gravity.
The otoliths are especially important because they never shut off. Even when you are sitting still, they are constantly sending information to your brain about where you are in space.
If the otoliths are not working correctly, your brain can feel unsafe even when nothing is actually wrong. This can drive symptoms like dizziness, motion sensitivity, visual issues, anxiety, and feeling off or disconnected.
Because this system is always active, small problems here can have a big impact on how your entire nervous system feels and functions.
I've already done vestibular therapy and it didn't really help. What makes your approach different?
Most rehab approaches focus on the whole brain or the whole nervous system. While that sounds good in theory, it often misses the real problem.
In almost every case, something in the system is overactive while something else is underactive. The way you rehab something that is underactive is very different from how you calm something that is overactive.
If we only work the entire system, your brain will keep relying on what is already working instead of fixing what is not. That means the weak or dysfunctional areas never truly improve.
This is why being specific matters. We target the exact areas that are not functioning well so the brain is forced to strengthen and rebuild those pathways instead of avoiding them.
Do you take insurance?
I do not work directly with insurance, which allows me to spend more time with you and use the testing and rehab tools that best fit your case.
Insurance companies did not get the education required to treat patients, so I do not feel it is appropriate to let them dictate what is covered, how much is covered, or how often care is allowed.
After your visits, I can provide you with a superbill that shows what you paid and the services you received. You can submit this to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
Many plans will reimburse at least a portion of the cost, but the exact amount depends on your specific policy. I always recommend checking with your insurance provider to see what your out of network benefits look like.
What is the VNG and why do eye movements matter?
VNG stands for Videonystagmography, which simply means we use special goggles to record how your eyes move. Your eye movements give us a direct window into how your brain, inner ear, and balance system are working together.
We run a series of 10 eye movement tests that look at things like how well you can hold your gaze, track moving targets, and shift your eyes quickly and accurately. Two of the most important parts of this exam are done in darkness and during moving visual patterns called OPK.
Testing in darkness lets us see what your brain does when it cannot rely on vision. This helps us find hidden imbalances in the vestibular system that often do not show up in normal eye exams.
OPK testing uses moving stripes to see how your brain handles visual motion. This is huge for people who feel dizzy, off, or overwhelmed in busy environments like stores, traffic, or scrolling on screens. If your brain is sensitive to motion, this test usually shows it clearly.
Many providers only use VNG to look for obvious nystagmus and use that as the main qualifying factor for whether something is wrong. The reality is you can have significant balance and brain based issues even when no strong nystagmus is present. That is why we look at the full pattern of eye movement behavior, not just one finding.
All of this helps us figure out not just if something is off, but where in the brain and balance system the problem is coming from so we can target your rehab more precisely.
Why do you measure balance?
The posturography platform measures how your body stays upright under different conditions. We change what your eyes see, what your feet feel, and where your head is positioned to see how your brain uses balance information.
This is powerful because balance is not something your brain can turn off. Your brain is always asking, “Am I safe right now and where am I in space?” If that answer feels uncertain, your nervous system stays stuck in fight or flight.
We compare what we see on the balance platform with what we see in your eye movement testing. When both line up, it gives us strong confirmation of where your nervous system is struggling and what needs support.
Improving balance and spatial awareness is not just about preventing falls. It helps your brain feel safer, calmer, and more stable which creates a much better environment for healing.
Why do you look at the brain's timing ability?
The tapping assessment looks at how well your brain can keep time and switch between sides of the body. You will tap to a steady beat with one hand, the other hand, and then both alternating.
This gives us insight into how well different parts of your brain are communicating and how efficiently your nervous system processes timing and rhythm.
Timing is a big deal for the brain. It affects coordination, attention, balance, and even how quickly you recover from symptoms. When timing is off, everything can feel harder and more exhausting.
This test helps us spot subtle issues that do not show up on imaging but can still have a big impact on how you feel day to day.
Why do I feel dizzy when I lay down?
Some people experience dizziness when lying down because changes in head position place different demands on the vestibular system, visual system, and neck. In some cases, this may be related to inner ear dysfunction such as positional vertigo, while other people may experience dizziness due to sensory integration issues, visual motion sensitivity, or post-concussion changes. Objective testing can help determine which systems are contributing to symptoms so rehabilitation can be more targeted.
Why do grocery stores make me feel dizzy and anxious?
Busy visual environments such as grocery stores can overwhelm the brain’s ability to process motion, depth, and peripheral visual information. This is often called visual motion sensitivity or visual dependence. Patients may feel disoriented, anxious, foggy, or off balance in environments with bright lights, movement, patterns, and crowded aisles. These symptoms are common after concussions, vestibular injuries, and chronic dizziness conditions.
Can a concussion cause dizziness months later?
Yes. Some people continue to experience dizziness, balance issues, brain fog, visual discomfort, or motion sensitivity long after the initial concussion. In many cases, lingering symptoms may involve dysfunction in the vestibular system, eye movements, sensory integration, or autonomic regulation. Objective testing can help identify whether these systems are still under stress.
Why do I feel off balance in the dark?
When vision is removed, the brain becomes more reliant on vestibular and proprioceptive input for balance. If the vestibular system or sensory integration pathways are not functioning efficiently, symptoms may become more noticeable in darkness or with eyes closed. This is one reason balance testing is often performed under multiple sensory conditions.
Why does driving make my dizziness worse?
Driving places high demands on the brain’s visual and vestibular systems. The brain must constantly process motion, peripheral visual flow, head movement, eye movement coordination, and spatial awareness simultaneously. People with vestibular dysfunction or post-concussion symptoms may feel overwhelmed, disoriented, anxious, or fatigued while driving, especially at night or in heavy traffic.
Why are exercises individualized? Can you give me exercises without an exam?
Two people can have similar symptoms but very different underlying dysfunctions. One patient’s dizziness may involve visual motion sensitivity, while another person’s symptoms may involve vestibular asymmetry or sensory integration challenges. Objective testing helps guide more personalized rehabilitation strategies.
Why do I still have symptoms even though my MRI was normal?
Many concussion-related symptoms involve functional changes in how the brain processes information rather than structural damage visible on standard imaging. Patients may still experience dizziness, brain fog, visual discomfort, headaches, or sensory sensitivity despite normal MRI or CT scans
Can vestibular dysfunction happen after a car accident?
Yes. Motor vehicle accidents can place significant stress on the vestibular system, neck, visual system, and brain. Some patients develop dizziness, motion sensitivity, headaches, brain fog, or balance issues after even relatively mild collisions.
Should I push through vestibular exercises if they make my symptoms worse?
While mild temporary symptoms can sometimes occur during rehabilitation, I do not believe that significantly worsening symptoms should simply be ignored or pushed through. In many cases, this is a sign that the nervous system is being challenged in the wrong way, at the wrong intensity, or through the wrong pathway.
My approach focuses on specificity and objective testing to help identify which systems are underperforming so exercises can be better individualized and tolerated.