Dizziness and impaired balance is the number one complaint of people over 70. These symptoms may occur suddenly or gradually over time. Vestibular therapy assists in the management of vertigo that may have occurred through disease, aging, or injury.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based program designed to promote central nervous system compensation for inner ear deficits. 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.
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). Our skilled physical and occupational therapists develop an individualized treatment plan that includes specific head, body, and eye exercises to be performed both in the therapy setting and at home.
A patient in need of vestibular rehabilitation may be experiencing:
- dizziness
- vertigo
- blurry vision with head movements
- neck stiffness with avoidance of head movements
- imbalance
- need to hold onto objects when walking
- frequent falls
- experience vertigo/spinning
