Also known as vestibular rehabilitation. Vestibular rehabilitation can be used to treat and manage some sources of persistent dizziness and loss of balance. Dizziness is a symptom of several conditions, so a detailed assessment and history taking is important. Some conditions which are commonly associated with dizziness are labyrinthitis, Meniers and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Labyrinthitis affects the inner ear resulting in loss of balance and dizziness. Click here for more information. Other conditions associated with dizziness are Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (triggered by change in position eg lying down to sitting), and blood pressure which changes according to position, and some neck problems (triggered by head movements, and post concussion syndrome.
Your physiotherapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation can test whether your symptoms are triggered by positional change and will take a medical history to determine whether there are other influencing factors. Meniers is often mis-diagnosed, and is associated with dizziness and loss of hearing, a hearing test may be necessary. *Check before booking, that you have chosen the physio trained in vestibular rehab*.
Treatment is based on assessment findings, and can involve manoeuvres such as Epley and Sermont, performed by the physiotherapist, and exercises such as Cawthorne-Cooksey and Brandt-Daroff. once the correct diagnosis has been established, it is well established that carefully graded exercise can help, and your trained physiotherapist will prescribe exercises as a follow up to treatment. Where indicated, we can arrange refer cases to an ENT consultant.
