What is Vestibular Rehab?

Vestibular Rehabilitation or Rehab is a program designed to assist individuals in decreasing or eliminating their symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, or unsteadiness.  There are many different causes of dizziness and imbalance. 

Professional Vestibular Examination

A Physical therapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation will perform an evaluation to determine your problem areas.  We will review your symptoms, take a medical history, and assess balance, gait, visual stability, neck motion, and positional faults.  We will look at your strength and flexibility.  Once we review the findings a treatment plan will be developed based on each individual’s needs.  

Depending on the cause, the length of treatment varies and could consist of 1-2 visits, or a more extensive program may need to be developed.

Who is Usually Treated With Vestibular Rehabilitation?

  • A person diagnosed with dizziness, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), imbalance, and unsteady gait.
  • A person who exhibits unilateral vestibular loss (vestibular neuritis or acoustic neuroma)
  • A person who exhibits bilateral vestibular loss (i.e. gentamicin toxicity)
  • A person who struggles with post-traumatic vertigo
  • A person who has had a stroke or recent brain injury
  • A person with a medical history of frequent falling episodes

Would You Benefit From Vestibular and Balance Therapy?

  • Have you fallen in the last 12 months?
  • Do you have the fear of falling?
  • Do you have any difficulty with walking or standing?
  • Do you use a cane, walker, or crutches, or have to hold onto things (like walls, the back of the couch) when you walk?
  • Do you have difficulty walking outdoors on grass or uneven surfaces?
  • Do you have to use your arms to get up from a chair?
  • Do you experience dizziness when lying or rolling in bed, or bending down to tie your shoes?
  • Do you lose your balance when you turn or make quick movements?
  • Do you get dizzy with quick head movements or when you turn around?
  • Does your vision become less clear with walking or quick head movements?
  • Do you get dizzy driving in a car or walking in a crowded area?
  • Do you have difficulty maintaining your balance during normal daily activities?
  • Do you have more than three chronic health conditions (heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, neuropathy, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.)?

If you answered YES to any of the questions above, a Physical Therapist at Coppola Physical Therapy can help you regain your confidence and decrease your risk of falling.

We start by decreasing your symptoms of dizziness/unsteadiness. Then move on to improve your strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance reactions, and improve gaze stability, thereby keeping you active in your home and community.

Benefits of Vestibular Rehabilitation and Balance Therapy

  1. You have a decreased risk of falling and injuring yourself
  2. Your dizziness and unsteadiness will decrease
  3. Your strength, endurance, and flexibility will improve
  4. Your balance and walking will improve
  5. Your ability to stabilize your gaze (vision) will increase
  6. You will have the tools to manage your symptoms should they occur
  7. Your confidence in performing daily tasks will improve
  8. And your overall sense of well-being will dramatically increase!