Vestibular Rehabilitation Explained

Symptoms related to vestibular (inner ear/balance) disorders, such as vertigo, dizziness, visual disturbance, and/or imbalance can be treated by a physical therapist. Our trained staff will develop an individualized plan for each patient which addresses that patient’s symptoms.

The human’s body sense of spatial orientation and balance is something that many us take for granted. However, if illness or injury strikes the body, affecting the balance system, then there could be instances of falls, nausea, blurred vision, and other cases of physical discomforts that may soon follow. The vestibular system located in the ear is mainly to blame for this condition. As one of the most important contributors to the balance of the body, the vestibular system has three main roles to do which include:

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  Detecting the position of the head in the body and in space

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  Ensuring that there is postural control

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  Contributing towards the coordination of eye and head movement

In the event that the vestibular system is damaged or injured, there is a chance that person will be suffering from constant falls or will be failing to maintain a good or upright posture while sitting, walking and standing up. There are many documented cases of people being affected by this medical condition, but what causes it is not known.

Individualized Treatment Options

Some of the treatment options that we commonly use to treat problems with the vestibular system include balance retraining, adaptation exercises, vestibular ocular exercises, safety and fall prevention training, instructions on head and posture positioning, and gaze stabilization exercises. Other treatment options include compensatory strategies that help towards minimizing the effects that come with a vestibular loss of function, and cardiovascular exercises aimed at increasing endurance.

Is Vestibular Therapy Effective?

While some people have their doubts regarding the effectiveness of vestibular therapy, research and factual evidence have indicated that when taken seriously, vestibular therapy plays a huge role in reducing the symptoms of many people diagnosed with such conditions. However, studies have also showed that this sort of rehabilitation exercise may fail if the underlying cause of dizziness is caused by depression or anxiety.