Located in your inner ear (specifically the semicircular canals), the vestibular system is responsible to help you to maintain balance and spatial orientation, and to coordinate eye movement. The vestibular system (along with vision and proprioception) provides feedback to your brain about head position, allowing you to stand upright, move steadily, and stay focused while you are in motion.
When the vestibular system is not working as it should, your balance and orientation are disrupted. Symptoms of this dysfunction may present as dizziness, vertigo (sensation of spinning), unsteady walking, sudden blurry vision, headaches, nausea and even vomiting. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (also known as vestibular rehab or VRT) is then required to restore normal function of the vestibular system through performing specific head maneuvers, prescribing vestibular adaptation exercises and giving proper management strategies and education. Another goal of vestibular rehab to retrain the brain to compensate for vestibular dysfunction. Vestibular rehab may also be indicated for post-concussion patients who had a head trauma from a motor vehicle accident or a sports injury.
Our physiotherapists have post-graduate training to provide vestibular rehab to help patients who are suffering from conditions such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis, vestibular migraines and cervicogenic dizziness. An example of a BPPV treatment could be performing an Epley maneuver to reposition the dislodged tiny calcium crystals in your semicircular canals back to its original position.
Based on the assessment findings, the physiotherapist trained in vestibular rehab will prescribe individualized adaptation, habituation and balance exercises to improve the function of the vestibular system. Adaptation exercises teach the brain to adapt to new input through repeated head and eye movements, and restore gaze stability. Habituation exercises use gradual exposure to desensitize the brain to movements that trigger symptoms. Finally, dynamic and static balance exercises improve stability and coordination by challenging your balance in standing, walking and while turning. The physiotherapist will also screen for relevant head, neck and upper back issues which may contribute to vestibular disorders.
In Vancouver, book an appointment at our clinic to see physiotherapist Jason Tong who is trained in vestibular physiotherapy to get help for your dizziness and vertigo symptoms.