Vestibular Rehabilitation is a well tolerated, simple, cost effective, non-invasive alternative for treating many equilibrium disorders.
Prior to initiation of therapy, a thorough medical and diagnostic evaluation, including vestibular function tests, should be completed. Some patients will require treatment through conventional pharmaceuticals or other medical intervention.
Many chronically dizzy patients are appropriate for consideration for vestibular rehabilitation.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves head, body and coordinated eye exercises as a treatment of vestibular disorders (dizziness or balance problems). The exercises are designed to help by using one or a combination of the following approaches:
The Adaptation Model includes exercises designed to allow the systems to adapt to conflicting signals and still maintain balance.
The Substitution Model includes exercises designed to utilize the remaining functional systems more efficiently to enhance balance.
The Positioning Maneuvers are specific single or repetitive maneuvers to manage a specific type of vestibular dysfunction.
There is a range of expected improvement of the specific diagnosis. The success of therapy is ultimately related to the underlying diagnosis.