How Does an Audiologist Treat Vertigo?
Underlying medical conditions that are causing the vertigo should first be promptly identified and appropriately treated, including: • Vestibular neuritis (labyrinthitis): inflammation of the nerve cells in the inner ear or cranial nerve • Ménière disease: irregular fluid buildup in the inner ear • Acoustic neuroma: benign tumor on the balance nerve • Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV): damage to the sensory units of the balance portion of the inner ear • Otitis media • Epilepsy • Migraine headaches To treat symptoms of vertigo, an Audiologist may provide a type of physical therapy called vestibular rehabilitation therapy, a nonmedical treatment in which the patient is assisted in different postures to relieve vertigo. Specifically, the postures involve turning the head and shifting the upper body from an upright to a horizontal position, and then back again. Sometimes these maneuvers cause an episode of vertigo, but when they are repeated and completed properly, the patient s
