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Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy

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Vestibular Therapy is a service we provide that incorporates exercise-based intervention to train and induce central nervous system compensation for inner ear disorders contributing to vestibular dysfunction.

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Conditions we treat through Vestibular Therapy:

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  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

  • Unilateral hypofunction and bilateral hypofunction

  • Labyrinthitis

  • Chronic Meniere’s Disease

  • Balance issues/falls

  • Dizziness associated with post-concussion syndrome

  • Vertigo and dizziness issues (peripheral)

  • S/p surgical procedures for vestibular problems

 

Our Vestibular Therapy Treatment approaches include:

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  • Adaptation approach: typically used with hypofunction unilateral patients

  • Bilateral hypofunction with some remaining function

  • Habituation approach: for motion sensitivity

  • Substitution approach: for those with total bilateral loss and central

  • Peripheral issues

  • Repositioning maneuvers: for those with distorted function

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Some patients will receive multiple types of treatment depending on the diagnosis. Positional, balance and oculomotor examinations are performed as a part of the comprehensive vestibular evaluation. Due to the training involved the specific semicircular canal involved is able to be determined with BPPV as well as ways to clear otoconia.

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Why is Vestibular Rehab Therapy (VRT) valuable and what can you expect?

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When the organs of the inner ear are damaged by disease or injury, the brain no longer can receive accurate information about motion and balance or equilibrium which can result in dizziness, vertigo, balance problems and other symptoms. Many people are able to recover from these symptoms without intervention in a few weeks allowing for the brain to adapt through normal activity, also known as vestibular compensation.

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However, if the vestibular compensation does not take place, a person may rely too heavily on input from vision and proprioception from muscle and joints, which further inhibits vestibular compensation and also creates other symptoms from over-compensating movements throughout the body, such as headache or musculoskeletal issues. VRT enables retraining the brain in coordination with visual and proprioceptive input to achieve the relief the patient is ultimately looking for. This is done through desensitizing the balance system to the very movement that provokes symptoms. Symptoms may at first appear to worsen in response to exercises which is normal. If faithful and consistent performance of prescribed exercises occurs, dizziness, vertigo and nausea will diminish and quite possibly disappear without any other intervention required.

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