What is Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy?
Vestibular Rehabilitation is a special therapy designed to alleviate all the problems caused due to vestibular disorder. It is an exercise-based program intended to reduce gaze instability, dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and falls. For people with vestibular sickness, the discrepancy is permanent as the graph of restoration of vestibular function is slightly surging (mostly flat). After vestibular damage, people may get back the previous functionalities through some compensation. Brain learns to substitute defective vestibular system with other senses (somatosensory and vision). Such compensations naturally occur in most people, over time. Those who are unlucky and continue to have this situation must go for Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy. Depending on the problem type, three principal exercise modules are suggested –
- Habituation:
The idea of Habituation exercise is to condense the dizziness through constant exposure to visual stimuli or specific movements that incite patients’ symptoms of dizziness. - Balance Training:
The motive behind Balance Training is to improve stability in daily activities like work leisure, or self care. Integral exercises are designed to address underlying balance-oriented problems. - Gaze Stabilization:
The objective of Gaze Stabilization exercise is to promote gaze stability by controlling the eye movement so that the patients’ visions can be clear at the time of head movement.
What should you expect from VR Therapy?
Mostly, VRT is performed in an outpatient basis. However, treatment may start at the hospital if the patients’ condition is critical. This therapy begins with a thorough clinical assessment that includes collection of patient’s medical history, current state, recent symptoms, and how these symptoms happen to affect the person’s day to day activities.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy must always be conducted under the supervision of licensed physiotherapist in order to achieve maximum restoration. The therapist analyzes and documents the category and intensity of the symptoms, and further converses on the precipitating circumstances. From the gathered information, an exercise plan is developed keeping in mind the patient’s goal of rehabilitation. These exercising routine is established in a way so that people can conduct this at home. It is important to help the patients achieve their goal of rehabilitation. Additional aftercare tips and secrets of exercise is an essential part of Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy.
