Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based program designed to promote central nervous system compensation for inner ear deficits.

VRT is needed when the vestibular organs are damaged with disease or injury. The brain can no longer rely on them for accurate information about equilibrium and motion, often resulting in dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, and other symptoms.

Many people are able to recover from these symptoms on their own after a few weeks of normal activity because the brain has adapted with a process called vestibular compensation.

However, if the vestibular compensation process is not successful, a person’s ability to maintain posture and coordinate balance may become overly dependent on input from the eyes (vision) and muscles and joints (proprioception).

In addition, the person may develop new patterns of head and body movement in an attempt to avoid dizziness and nausea.

The goal of VRT is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with vision and proprioception.

Vestibular Rehabilitation conditions we treat include:

  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
  • Unilateral Hypofunction and Bilateral Hypofunction
  • S/P Surgical Procedures
  • Labyrinthitis
  • Meniere’s Disease
  • Balance/Falls
  • Vertigo and Dizziness Issues
  • Some patients will get multiple types of treatment depending on diagnosis.

We use several treatment approaches, including repositioning maneuvers for those with BPPV.

Vestibular rehabilitation has the best outcomes of any form of physical therapy (92% satisfaction rating).

We do positional, balance, and oculomotor examinations as a part of the comprehensive vestibular evaluation. We are trained to determine which semicircular canal is involved with BPPV and in ways to clear otoconia.

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