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What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation is a type of exercise-based treatment in physical therapy that addresses all forms of dizziness for all ages. Physical Therapists are able to assess whether a person is appropriate for rehabilitation for dizziness, or if it appears to be more of a medical cause, which would then be addressed by their medical provider or a specialist. Vestibular rehabilitation is different from what people would normally consider physical therapy, and depending on the diagnosis, the treatment can take one visit, or many months.

What are the benefits of vestibular rehabilitation?

The benefits of vestibular rehabilitation are;

  • Reduction in dizziness
  • Improved balance
  • Easier walking
  • Improved feeling of safety
  • Reduced fall risk
  • Potential return to work if dizziness has required a layoff or disability
  • Better quality of life!

Often times, dizziness can lead to limited functionality and an inability to enjoy leisure activities. Many people are confined to their homes with limited trips out due to the severity of their dizziness, imbalance, headaches, or the risk of falls. Vestibular rehabilitation has the potential to greatly improve your quality of life and get you back to the activities that you love!

How do I know if vestibular rehabilitation is right for me?

Any type of dizziness that does not have an origin in medication side effects or other specific medical diagnoses can be addressed in vestibular rehabilitation. Many medical diagnoses need vestibular rehabilitation along with another medical treatment in order to achieve the best functional outcomes and quality of life. Our therapists will let you know if you are not appropriate for treatment but we encourage you to have an assessment to determine what deficits are potentially present. We don’t want you to miss out on an opportunity to reduce or resolve your dizziness.

What are some common conditions or symptoms that can be helped by vestibular rehabilitation?

  • Dizziness or blurry vision with head movements
  • Concussion
  • Neck tightness, stiffness and/or pain
  • Imbalance or the need to hold onto objects when walking
  • Headaches / Migraines
  • Frequent falls
  • Generalized “dizziness, wooziness and foggy head” feelings
  • Vertigo/spinning
  • Meniere’s disease
  • Residual symptoms from inner ear infections
  • Dizziness after a stroke or brain injury
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson disease
  • Motion sickness
  • Vestibular neuritis
  • Labyrinthitis

Are there age restrictions when it comes to this type of treatment?

No. All ages can benefit from vestibular rehabilitation. From infants to the elderly. Sometimes torticollis (a specific type of muscle tightness of the head/neck that occurs during childbirth) can be caused by positional vertigo and is often misdiagnosed. Positional vertigo is most common between the ages of 50 and 70 years, but true vertigo is less than 20% of vestibular rehabilitation.

Anyone can have headaches or migraines, be in a car accident and undergo a concussion, have a genetic predisposition to dizziness issues, or be diagnosed with a condition that requires vestibular rehab. It really is one of those types of physical therapy that is geared towards all populations. And dizziness impacts every aspect of people’s lives. Even a small positive change can have a huge impact on quality of life.

Do you need a referral to be seen?

A referral from your primary care provider is needed for vestibular rehabilitation. This referral would be for physical therapy and then the therapist would assess whether you are a candidate for this type of treatment. Sometimes your primary care provider may want to refer you to other specialists such as an ear, nose, and throat provider or a neurologist before sending you for physical therapy.

Physical therapy can be a fast and easy option to initiating treatment and having a positive impact on your life. Many patients are undergoing vestibular rehabilitation while also being referred to specialists.

How can someone learn more about vestibular rehabilitation and treatments for dizziness or poor balance?

The most well-known website and organization is the Vestibular Disorders Association at www.vestibular.org.

Other helpful sites;

  1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15298-vestibular-rehabilitation
  2. www.dizzy.com (American Institute of Balance)
  3. https://dizziness-and-balance.com/treatment/rehab.html

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