Vestibular Rehab

Anytime you’re on your feet, you’re using your balance. Whether you’re doing simple tasks like walking down the street or you’re doing strenuous physical activity like playing a sport, you rely on your balance to keep you upright with every movement without falling. But did you know that this ability comes from your ear, not your feet?

Your vestibular system is a sensory system that’s located in your inner ear and helps manage your balance and spatial awareness. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy helps improve your balance and decrease dizziness that may be symptoms of a vestibular disorder.

What Is Vestibular Rehab?

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is a physical therapy treatment that helps alleviate the symptoms of vestibular disorders. The goal is to help reduce dizziness and balance issues with exercises that increase the function of your vestibular system that has been impacted by an injury or infection.

Vestibular rehabilitation centers on exercises that help improve your balance and decrease vestibular dysfunction by:

  • Improving gaze stability.
  • Reducing vertigo.
  • Enhancing postural stability.

Who Can Benefit From Vestibular Rehab?

If you have vestibular dysfunction that’s causing balance problems, it’s important to seek out vestibular rehabilitation to decrease the risk of falling or injury.

Here are some symptoms that could point to vestibular dysfunction:

  • Unsteadiness or staggering gait.
  • Vertigo (spinning sensation).
  • Motion instability.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Nystagmus (rapid, uncontrolled eye movements).
  • Postural instability.
  • Headaches.
  • Blurred vision.

Common disorders or infections that may require vestibular rehab include:

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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

BPPV is one of the most common vestibular disorders that causes dizziness or a spinning sensation, known as vertigo, with certain head movements. It’s caused by the calcium crystals moving around in the inner ear when you move your head certain ways, such as up and down.
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Ménière’s disease

This inner ear disorder causes episodes of vertigo and dizzy spells. It can also cause tinnitus, which refers to ringing in the ears. Research hasn’t determined an exact cause for the disorder, but it’s believed to be connected to having extra fluid in the ear due to a blockage, viral infection or autoimmune disorder.
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Labyrinthitis

Also known as vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis refers to inflammation of the labyrinth, which is the part of your ear that comprises the cochlea and the vestibular system. It’s often triggered by an infection, such as a cold. It can cause vertigo as well as dizziness and hearing loss.

Forever Fit Has Vestibular Rehab to Improve Your Balance and Decrease Dizziness

Balance issues and dizzy spells can interfere with your ability to do a wide range of activities, from playing sports with your friends on the weekends to hiking up a mountain. By helping to improve the function of your vestibular system, you can improve your balance and reduce your vertigo and dizziness. At Forever Fit, we can help determine the cause of your vestibular dysfunction so that we can properly treat the symptoms with targeted exercises.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.

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