What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation uses movement and exercise to treat common causes of dizziness and vertigo.

Vestibular (inner ear) problems affect the Vestibulo-occular reflex (VOR) responsible for controlling eye movement during head movement. They can also affect the Vestibulospinal reflex (VSR) that influences postural stability. Vestibular rehabilitation aims to “reset” these reflexes which will in turn relieve the symptoms.

Who is suitable for treatment?

If you have problems with dizziness, attributed by your doctor to one of the following conditions, our physiotherapists may be able to help:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
Perilymph fistula
Meniere’s disease

As every patient with vestibular problems is different, our physiotherapists will perform an initial assessment to decide whether or not the physiotherapy treatment is likely to be effective. If it is decided physiotherapy is likely to help relieve your symptoms, our physiotherapists will be able to make a prognosis and begin to create a suitable rehabilitation programme.

What are the benefits of physiotherapy for vestibular problems?

A physiotherapy programme can have a number of benefits; these will differ between patients due to the nature of the presenting symptoms. They could include:

Reduction in the incidence and/or the intensity of your symptoms
Improvements in balance both in the light and dark
Improvements of self confidence and the ability to feel more comfortable in busy environments
Increased ability to focus
Reduced risk of falls

Treatment for vestibular problems

Manchester Physio is able to provide both assessment and treatment for vestibular disorders.

During assessment our physiotherapists will test balance, walking, and general range of movement, they will also carry out some special positional tests to enable them to establish the severity of your condition.

Our physiotherapists will be able to create a personalised week by week rehabilitation programme involving:

Adaptation exercises – These work to reset the VOR. These exercises will include placing your head in positions you would usually avoid, and moving your eyes in certain ways whilst in these positions. The exercises are also likely to progress to include different stimuli such as different surfaces on which to stand, this will challenge the vestibular system further.
Habituation exercises
Substitution exercises
Falls prevention exercises
The Epley manoeuvre (if our physiotherapists deem this appropriate)