What's in Your Head: Tools for Pain and Dizziness

Can your neck really cause dizziness or headaches? In this episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain & Dizziness, Dr. Pete Schultz, physical therapist, breaks down the topic of cervicogenic dizziness and cervicogenic headache—two conditions that can be confusing, frustrating, and often overlap with vestibular, migraine, and stress-related symptoms.

You’ll learn how the neck, nervous system, balance system, and autonomic nervous system can all interact to create symptoms like dizziness, head pressure, neck pain, tension, and headaches. Pete also explains how these conditions are evaluated in physical therapy and the evidence-informed treatment strategies he uses in the clinic, including manual therapy, exercise, vestibular rehab, cervical proprioception training, biofeedback, self-regulation, and pain reprocessing strategies.

If you’ve ever felt dizzy with neck tension, headaches after stress, or symptoms triggered by posture and movement, this episode can help you better understand what may be going on—and what can help.

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized evaluation or treatment. If you are experiencing dizziness, headaches, neck pain, or other concerning symptoms, consult with a licensed healthcare provider.

Resources:
Schedule a Physical Therapy or Vestibular Evaluation: Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy – www.DynamicSportsPT.com

Learn more about pain, dizziness, headaches, and recovery tools: Pain and Dizzy – www.PainandDizzy.com

In this special episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain and Dizziness, Pete Schultz, DPT, OCS, walks you through a simple, practical tool you can use when pain or dizziness starts to increase.

This guided affirmation exercise is designed to help regulate your nervous system by providing consistent signals of safety to the brain. When symptoms ramp up, the nervous system can become more protective and sensitive—this exercise combines paced breathing with targeted affirmations to help reduce reactivity and turn the volume down on symptoms over time.

Pete also shares how he personally uses this tool at the early stages of a pain flare-up to help manage intensity and feel more in control.

This is a short, 5-minute guided practice that you can return to anytime you notice symptoms increasing or as part of a regular routine to support nervous system regulation.

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. Please do not perform this exercise while driving or in any situation that requires your full attention.

Learn more / Connect:
To learn more about pain and dizziness  www.PainandDizzy.com
To schedule a PT or Vestibular Evaluation  www.DynamicSportsPT.com

Episode 10: What is Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) and How to Resolve It

Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) is a common but often misunderstood condition that can develop after a vestibular event like BPPV, vestibular neuritis, concussion, or vestibular migraine. Even after the initial issue improves, people are often left with ongoing dizziness, imbalance, and sensitivity to motion or busy environments—despite normal testing.

In this episode, we break down what PPPD actually is, why it happens, and how the brain and nervous system can get stuck in a maladaptive pattern. We also walk through practical treatment strategies, including vestibular rehabilitation, nervous system regulation, graded exposure, and the role of neck mobility in recovery.

If you’ve been told everything is “normal” but you still feel off, this episode will help explain why—and more importantly, what you can do about it. 

Learn more and access tools:
👉 https://www.painanddizzy.com

Interested in a physical therapy evaluation:
👉 https://www.dynamicsportspt.com

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. If you are experiencing symptoms, consult with a qualified healthcare professional for an appropriate evaluation and treatment plan.

Episode 9: Pain Reprocessing Therapy

Chronic pain and persistent symptoms can be incredibly frustrating—especially when medical testing doesn’t clearly explain what you’re feeling. In this episode of What’s in Your Head, Dr. Pete Schultz discusses Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and a core technique called somatic tracking, a tool designed to help retrain the nervous system when pain persists beyond normal tissue healing.

Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a neuroscience-based approach that helps people understand how the brain and nervous system contribute to persistent pain and symptoms. While injuries and tissue damage can trigger pain initially, the nervous system can sometimes remain in a heightened protective state even after the body has healed.

In this episode, Pete explains:

• The difference between structural pain and neuroplastic (persistent) pain
• Why pain can continue even when imaging or exams don’t show major structural damage
• How the nervous system functions as a protective alarm system
• Research supporting PRT, including the Boulder Back Pain Study
• How somatic tracking helps reduce threat signals in the nervous system
• Who may benefit most from these approaches

Pain Reprocessing Therapy does not suggest pain is imaginary. Instead, it treats pain as a real protective signal from the nervous system that, in some cases, can be retrained through education, awareness, and targeted tools.

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, persistent dizziness, post-concussion symptoms, migraine, or other ongoing conditions, understanding how the nervous system influences symptoms may provide an additional pathway toward recovery.

Learn more about physical therapy assessment and care at:
 https://dynamicsportspt.com

Explore tools and resources—including a guided Somatic Tracking exercise—at:
https://painanddizzy.com

If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star review so more people can discover the podcast.

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Listening to this podcast does not establish a patient-provider relationship. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your specific medical condition or concerns.

Hip and knee pain are some of the most common reasons people seek medical care, and many are told early on that they’ll eventually need a joint replacement. Imaging often shows arthritis or “bone-on-bone” changes, but those findings alone don’t determine when surgery is truly necessary.

In this episode, Pete Schultz Doctor of Physical Therapy breaks down what hip and knee osteoarthritis actually is, why pain doesn’t always match the amount of joint damage, and how to think through both non-surgical and surgical options. We’ll discuss functional limitations, quality of life, and why the decision to move forward with a hip or knee replacement should be based on how much your symptoms interfere with your daily life — not just what an X-ray or MRI shows.

We also review joint-preserving options, different types of hip and knee replacements, and common situations where surgery may be necessary sooner, such as advanced joint collapse, fractures, or structural complications.

This episode is designed to help you better understand the decision-making process and feel more confident having informed conversations with your healthcare team.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information discussed reflects general principles and may not apply to every individual. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your specific condition or treatment options.

Learn More

🌐 Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy
https://www.dynamicsportspt.com

🎧 What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain & Dizziness
https://www.painanddizzy.com

Episode Title:
Migraine Beyond Medication: A Multi-Systems Approach

Episode Description:

Migraine is not just a headache — it’s a complex neurologic condition involving the nervous system, sensory processing, and multiple body systems.

In this episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain & Dizziness, Dr. Pete Schultz, physical therapist, goes beyond medication and explores where conservative, non-pharmacologic strategies fit into modern migraine care.

Medications can be helpful for many people, but a significant number of individuals continue to struggle with persistent symptoms, frequent attacks, and disability. This episode focuses on the additional contributors that influence migraine outcomes and why a multi-systems approach is often necessary.

This discussion is grounded in both clinical experience and current evidence, including a peer-reviewed article co-authored with colleague Scott Siverling that outlines a multimodal, conservative framework for treating migraine from a physical therapist’s perspective.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

• Migraine as a neurologic nervous system condition
• Why medication alone may not fully address migraine drivers
• The role of the autonomic nervous system and stress physiology
• How exercise, manual therapy, vestibular therapy, biofeedback, and mindfulness-based strategies fit into care
• Why this approach is complementary to — not against — medication

This episode is designed to help patients and clinicians better understand migraine and expand the toolbox for managing symptoms and improving quality of life.

For more information on migraine, pain, dizziness, and nervous system health, visit www.PainAndDizzy.com
.

To schedule a physical therapy evaluation for headache, migraine, concussion, dizziness, or persistent pain, visit www.DynamicSportsPT.com
.

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment decisions.

Reference:
Siverling S, Schultz P. A Multimodal Conservative Approach to Treating Migraine: A Physical Therapist’s Perspective. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2023;27:329–337. doi:10.1007/s11916-023-01140-3

Episode Summary

In this episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain and Dizziness, Dr. Pete Schultz breaks down what biofeedback actually is—and just as importantly, what it isn’t.

Biofeedback is not the treatment.
It’s a measurement tool that lets us see the autonomic nervous system in real time.

The real treatment is still things like breathing, muscle relaxation, visualization, meditation, and mindfulness. Biofeedback simply shows us how the nervous system is responding to those tools, moment by moment. And that matters—because when the nervous system can see what it’s doing, it learns faster.

In this episode, Pete explains:

• What biofeedback is and how it works
• How the autonomic nervous system shifts between fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest
• The main types of biofeedback, including:
  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
  • Thermal (skin temperature)
  • Skin conductance (GSR)
  • Muscle tension (EMG)
  • A brief overview of neurofeedback
• The difference between wearables (like WHOOP and Oura) and true biofeedback training
• Why biofeedback can be so helpful for persistent pain, dizziness, headaches, migraines, concussion symptoms, long COVID, and other conditions where the nervous system gets stuck in protection mode

Pete also walks through how biofeedback is used clinically and shares real-world examples from his practice.

At the end of the episode, Pete teaches a guided box breathing exercise—a simple, practical self-regulation tool you can use with or without biofeedback equipment—to help calm and regulate the nervous system.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Individualized care from a qualified healthcare professional is important for addressing pain, dizziness, headaches, or neurological symptoms.

If you’re looking for a physical therapy evaluation or treatment, visit https://www.DynamicSportsPT.com
.
For more education and tools related to pain and dizziness, visit https://www.PainAndDizzy.com
.

Episode 5 — Concussion: What’s Actually Happening and How to Fully Recover

In this episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain & Dizziness, Pete Schultz, Doctor of Physical Therapy, breaks down what a concussion really is — and just as importantly, what it is not.

Concussions are common in sports and everyday life — car accidents, falls, hitting your head, or even sudden force to the body. Yet many people are told to “just rest and wait,” even when symptoms linger for weeks or months.

In this episode, we explore why that approach often falls short.

You’ll learn:

• What’s actually happening in the brain after a concussion
• Why concussion is not a structural brain injury
• How symptoms represent a functional and metabolic disruption, not damage
• Why imaging is often normal
• Why symptoms can feel unpredictable and scary
• The five key systems that must be assessed for full recovery
  • Neck
  • Vestibular system
  • Visual system
  • Autonomic/exertional tolerance
  • Mood, stress, and anxiety
• Why early rest helps — but prolonged rest can delay recovery
• How an active, individualized, and multidisciplinary approach leads to the best outcomes

Most importantly, this episode emphasizes an empowering message:

Concussions are highly recoverable when managed correctly.

If you or someone you care about is dealing with ongoing concussion symptoms — headaches, dizziness, brain fog, light sensitivity, or exercise intolerance — understanding what’s driving those symptoms is the first step toward recovery.

🔗 Helpful Links

Schedule a Physical Therapy Concussion Assessment:
👉 https://www.DynamicSportsPT.com

Learn more about pain, dizziness, and nervous system health:
👉 https://www.PainandDizzy.com

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Information discussed in this episode should not replace individualized evaluation or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. If you are experiencing concussion symptoms or ongoing concerns, please seek appropriate medical care.

Have you ever rolled over in bed, looked up, or laid down — and suddenly the entire room started spinning?

In this episode of What’s in Your Head: Tools for Pain & Dizziness, Dr. Pete Schultz, Doctor of Physical Therapy, breaks down one of the most common — and most misunderstood — causes of vertigo: BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo).

BPPV can feel intense and alarming, often sending people to urgent care or the emergency room fearing something serious is wrong with their brain. The good news is that BPPV is not life-threatening, it’s very common, and when identified correctly, it’s highly treatable.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between vertigo and dizziness
• How the inner ear and vestibular system actually work
• Why the room spins with certain head movements
• What happens when inner ear crystals move into the wrong canal
• The different types of BPPV (posterior, horizontal, and anterior canal)
• Why one maneuver doesn’t work for everyone
• Why YouTube videos don’t always fix vertigo — and can sometimes make it worse
• A simple 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise to help calm the nervous system when vertigo triggers panic

This episode focuses on helping you understand what’s happening in your body — and reassuring you that vertigo is often a mechanical problem, not brain damage or something dangerous.

If you or someone you care about has experienced spinning, dizziness, or balance issues, this episode will help you better understand what’s going on and what actually helps.

🔗 Helpful Links

Schedule a Vestibular Therapy or Physical Therapy Appointment:
👉 https://www.DynamicSportsPT.com

Learn more about pain, dizziness, and the nervous system:
👉 https://www.PainandDizzy.com

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. If you are experiencing ongoing, worsening, or concerning symptoms, please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individualized evaluation and treatment.