About Sydney Dizziness Clinic

Sydney Dizziness Clinic

Understanding
Dizziness

— The Role of a Vestibular Medicine Doctor

Why is it difficult to get answers for your dizziness?

Dizziness and imbalance are among the most common reasons people seek medical help — yet vestibular assessment is not a routine part of most clinical training.

Dizziness can involve multiple body systems, and many patients across Sydney see several different clinicians before receiving a focused vestibular assessment.

Sydney Dizziness Clinic was founded to close that gap — bringing vestibular assessment, diagnosis and management together in one place for Sydney patients.

What is a Vestibular Medicine Doctor?

A vestibular medicine doctor is a medical doctor with advanced training in the diagnosis and management of dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and motion sensitivity — conditions that arise from disorders of the vestibular system, which includes the inner ear and its connections to the brain. Vestibular medicine doctor is a descriptive term for a medical practitioner who works primarily in the assessment and management of dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders. It is not an AHPRA-recognised specialty, specialist registration or endorsement.

Our Clinician

Sydney Dizziness Clinic is led by a vestibular medicine doctor — and backed by the wider Australian Dizziness Clinics team

Dr Sandeep Rajagopal

MBBS, MS (ENT), MRCS, MRCGP, FRACGP
Trained in ENT surgery in India and the UK; registered in Australia as a general practitioner.

Vestibular Medicine Doctor & Founder · General practitioner (FRACGP)

Sydney Dizziness Clinic Founder, Australian Dizziness Clinics

Dr Sandeep Rajagopal is a vestibular medicine doctor and the founder of Australian Dizziness Clinics. In 2017 he established Canberra Dizziness Clinic — one of Australia's first dedicated vestibular medicine clinics — which now sees over 720 new dizziness patients each year and has assessed and managed more than 5,000 patients over the past nine years. This doctor-led model of assessment, is now being brought to Sydney through Sydney Dizziness Clinic. Trained in ENT surgery and general practice in both India and the United Kingdom, Dr Rajagopal is also a part-time PhD candidate at the Australian National University, researching visually-induced dizziness in vestibular migraine. He created the freely accessible Education Hub on the Australian Dizziness Clinics website — a growing repository of vestibular medicine knowledge for clinicians and patients across Australia and beyond — reflecting his passion for advancing vestibular medicine knowledge and skills among general clinicians.

Backed by the wider network team

Meet the full ADC team ↗

Sydney Dizziness Clinic is a member clinic of Australian Dizziness Clinics. Through the network, your care is supported by in-house vestibular physiotherapists and other vestibular medicine doctors — sharing the same clinical standards, referral pathways and educational resources across every member clinic. We also coordinate with external neurologists, ENT surgeons and other specialists when onward referral is needed.

What Conditions Do We Treat?

Vestibular medicine doctors are trained to assess and manage a broad range of vestibular disorders, including:

BPPV Vestibular migraine Ménière's disease PPPD Vestibular neuritis & labyrinthitis Bilateral vestibulopathy Vestibular paroxysmia Central causes (cerebellar & brainstem) Anxiety-related dizziness Blood-pressure & cardiovascular Medication-related

This breadth matters because many patients present with overlapping diagnoses. A vestibular medicine doctor is trained to assess these overlapping presentations together, and to coordinate onward referral where a subspecialty opinion is needed.

How We Diagnose Your Condition

How We Diagnose Dizziness

A streamlined pathway for dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.

Explore the pathway →

Your dizziness symptoms

Comprehensive history

Symptom scale scoring

if required

Clinical examination

Vestibular function testing

Objective assessment of inner ear & brain pathways.

Diagnosis & management plan

Treatment & follow-up

Most patients leave with either a working diagnosis or a clear plan for the next investigation.

Hover over the card to reveal the full diagnostic pathway

Where Does a Vestibular Medicine Doctor Fit in Your Care?

A calm misty bridge over water with three glowing waypoints — the care pathway from GP, across the vestibular medicine doctor bridge, to subspecialty care

The Bridge in Your Care

General Practitioner First point of contact — identifies dizziness and refers with confidence

Vestibular Medicine Doctor · General practitioner (FRACGP) The bridge — dedicated vestibular diagnosis, medical management and care coordination

Neuro-otologist / ENT / Neurologist Subspecialty care for the few complex cases that need it

One clear pathway. One coordinated plan. Better outcomes for Sydney patients.

Think of vestibular medicine as the bridge between general practice and subspecialty care. When a GP is uncertain about the cause of a patient's dizziness, a vestibular medicine doctor provides the diagnostic clarity needed to direct appropriate management — without the patient needing to see multiple clinicians across different disciplines.

An Established Model, Now in Sydney

Dedicated vestibular medicine doctor services have run across the UK and Europe for decades — sitting between general practice and subspecialty care to cut unnecessary referrals, sharpen diagnosis and speed treatment.

In Australia the model was virtually absent until 2017, when Canberra Dizziness Clinic — one of the country's first vestibular medicine doctor clinic — opened its doors. Sydney Dizziness Clinic brings that same doctor-led model to Sydney, as part of the growing Australian Dizziness Clinics network.

No referral is needed — patients can refer themselves. We also welcome referrals from GPs, neurologists, ENT surgeons, physiotherapists, audiologists and Emergency Departments across Sydney.

2Sydney locations — Oran Park & Westmead

35+Vestibular conditions assessed & managed

TelehealthAvailable across NSW & Australia-wide

NetworkPart of Australian Dizziness Clinics

Find Your Nearest Clinic

Enter your postcode to find your closest Sydney Dizziness Clinic location

Our Mission & Values

To make dedicated vestibular medicine accessible to every part of Sydney — working towards an accurate diagnosis and an evidence-based management plan, and explaining clearly what is known and what remains uncertain.

Our Mission and Values

Diagnostic Clarity

We believe every patient deserves a clear diagnosis. Our assessment is systematic, and where a diagnosis cannot be reached we say so and set out the next step.

Accessibility

Dedicated vestibular medicine should not require months of waiting or a trip out of Sydney. We bring dedicated vestibular care to patients across the city.

Patient-Centred Care

Dizziness affects every aspect of a patient's life. We take time to understand each individual's history, impact, and goals before designing a treatment plan.

GP Partnership

We see Sydney GPs as essential partners. We communicate clearly, refer back promptly, and help GPs build confidence in managing vestibular patients in their own practice.

Education

We are committed to raising vestibular education — for patients, GPs, physiotherapists and other health professionals — through the Australian Dizziness Clinics Education Hub.

Evidence-Based Management

Our clinical decisions are grounded in the latest research and international guidelines, including those from the Bárány Society (International Organisation for Vestibular Medicine).

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