What is vestibular rehabilitation?
Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise approach to the remediation of disequilibrium and dizziness symptoms associated with peripheral vestibular pathology. A common neuro-otological approach to managing a patient suffering from dizziness and balance problems is to administer medication designed to suppress vestibular function. However, many of the medications used for inner-ear disorders have the disadvantage of potential habituation and sedating side effects that frequently limit the patient’s ability to perform useful activities. Vestibular rehabilitation is an alternative form of treatment involving specific exercises designed to 1) decrease dizziness, 2) increase balance function, and 3) increase general activity levels. Patients are asked to exercise daily at home and to visit the physical therapist during an initial period of four to six weeks.
Vestibular rehabilitation involves a wide variety of exercises and maneuvers to help reduce the symptoms of dizziness and vertigo, either by habituation (adjusting to them) or by physical maneuvers such as the Canalith Repositioning Maneuver that corrects the problem. The rehab usually involves at-home exercises focused on the patient’s specific weaknesses. They are designed to retrain and improve balance, to reduce feelings of nausea and dizziness, improve gaze stabilization and eye-head coordination. Vestibular rehabilitation is extremely effective and widely accepted as treatment of vestibular disorders when done properly. It is important to follow instructions and do the at-home exercises a few times daily in order for the therapy to be most effective.
Managing dizziness with medication designed to suppress vestibular function is a problematic long-term strategy because of sedating side effects. Vestibular rehabilitation is an alternative form of treatment designed to remediate the vertigo and disequilibrium associated with vestibular abnormalities. It entails exercises designed to decrease dizziness and increase balance function and levels of general activity. After meeting with a physical or occupational therapist, patients are asked to exercise daily at home and to visit the treating therapist during an initial period of four to six weeks. For more information, see our online store for our short publication [F-7], “Vestibular Rehabilitation.
