What is Vestibular Physical Therapy?
Vestibular Therapy is specialized physical therapy directed at the vestibular component of the nervous system. The vestibular system uses information from the eyes, inner ear, and extremities to help keep your body balanced. Sometimes this information is incomplete or distorted, causing dizziness or a loss of balance. The purpose of vestibular therapy is to restore good communication between these sources of information and the brain in order to allow better balance or eliminate dizziness. Successful treatment can take as few as 1-2 sessions and is dependent on the cause of the dizziness.
Through a detailed evaluation, we will create an individualized treatment plan for you to address your specific causes of dizziness and loss of balance. Your physical therapist will assess:
- Vertigo and dizziness
- Balance difficulty
- Walking difficulty
- Postural control
- Flexibility and strength deficits in your muscles and joints
Treatment May Include:
- Canalithic Repositioning Procedure for BPPV(N)
- Eye/head exercises for gaze stabilization
- Habituation exercises for reducing position and movement provoked dizziness
- Balance exercises
- Ambulation training with or without assistive devices
- Strengthening, flexibility, and conditioning programs
- Education in activity, environment, and lifestyle as they impact balance and dizziness
Did you know?
Dizziness is the third most common reason for visiting a physician, and 85% of dizziness complaints have at least a partial vestibular component. Falls related to dizziness or balance deficits are a leading cause of injury requiring hospitalization. Physical therapy is a common treatment for many vestibular conditions that trains patients to “treat themselves” with exercises they can do at home to prevent future problems.