Vestibular
Rehabilitation Therapy

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Vestibular
Rehabilitation Therapy

Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based program designed by a specialty-trained vestibular physical therapist to improve balance and reduce problems related to dizziness. While dizziness can occur at any age, for patients over 75 years of age, dizziness is the number one reason for visiting a physician, and dizziness is a significant risk factor for falls in elderly individuals. Dizziness is generally not serious, but is often a sign of a mechanical problem with the vestibular system. The vestibular system is a sensory system in the inner ear that is responsible for providing our brain with information about motion, head position, and spatial orientation.
Patients typically referred for vestibular rehabilitation therapy are those diagnosed with dizziness, imbalance, vertigo, vestibular hypofunction, vestibular neuritis, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis, acoustic neuroma, oxotoxicity, Meniere’s syndrome, concussion, cervicogenic dizziness and migraines. Other candidates are patients who have had a brain injury or who frequently fall.


Common symptoms

  • Dizziness or blurry vision with head movements
  • Neck tightness, stiffness and/or pain
  • Imbalance or the need to hold onto objects
    when walking
  • Headaches
  • Lightheadedness
  • Sensations of moving
  • Unsteadiness
  • Eye twitching (nystagmus)
  • Frequent falls
  • Generalized “dizziness, wooziness and foggy
    head” feelings
  • Vertigo/room spinning
  • Rocking/swaying/tilting sensations

 

Treatment

  • Specific maneuvers including Epley, Semont, Apiani, Modified Liberatory when able to identify the one of the three different canals involved.
  • Habituation Exercises including Brandt-Daroff and Vestibular Ocular Reflex (VOR) movements.
  • Cervical spine stretching and range of motion
    (ROM) exercises.
  • Sensory balance retraining exercises.
  • Proprioception training.
  • Gait training exercises.
  • Modalities for muscle tension associated with
    vertigo/dizziness.