Dizziness, vertigo, BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), and balance problems can be difficult to address properly and can make daily activities almost impossible. Various diseases and injuries, such as a fall or a concussion, can damage the inner ear vestibular organs resulting in the above conditions. With vestibular organ injuries an individual’s ability to maintain posture and coordinate balance may become overly dependent on input from the eyes (vision) and muscles and joints (proprioception). When this happens the individual employs new patterns of head and body movement in an attempt to avoid dizziness and nausea. Unfortunately, these new strategies can make vestibular compensation even more difficult, worsening symptoms and often causing headache, muscle tension, and fatigue.
This is when vestibular rehabilitation therapy comes in as it is designed to promote central nervous system compensation for inner ear deficits. VRT can help with a variety of vestibular problems, such as those above, vestibular hypofunction (reduced inner ear function), and a number of other symptoms associated with Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, and vestibular neuritis. Even individuals with long-term unresolved inner ear disorders who have undergone a period of medical management with little or no success may benefit. VRT can also help people with an acute or abrupt loss of vestibular function following surgery for vestibular problems.
The goal of VRT is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with vision and proprioception. This often involves desensitizing the balance system to movements that provoke symptoms, or with BPPV, a Canalith Repositioning Procedure. Because of the severity of symptoms, and complexity of the vestibular system these techniques should only be administered by a practitioner specially trained to perform them to avoid worsening symptoms or other neck/back injuries.