Many people experience very real symptoms of dizziness and disturbed balance because of how the balance system is functioning, rather than because of a structural vestibular or neurological disease.
These symptoms go by many names and are often described as functional disorders. They can improve with vestibular rehabilitation.
Vestibular rehabilitation is a programme of exercises to treat dizziness and balance problems. It is a well established and widely accepted intervention for people with balance and inner ear disorders.
People with inner ear disorders and with central, or brain, disorders can both be helped by vestibular rehabilitation. There is evidence that an individualized exercise programme works better than a generic one.
Your physiotherapist will begin by:
A comprehensive assessment of your standing and walking balance follows.
Based on what the assessment finds, your goals and expectations for treatment are agreed, and a home exercise programme is developed. The number of visits and the time needed to improve both vary.
Most of the improvement comes from the home exercise programme.
At follow-up visits your physiotherapist may update that programme based on your symptoms and your progress.
The frequency of visits varies, and vestibular rehabilitation can last from one or two weeks to several months. Appointments usually run between 30 minutes and one hour, and your symptoms largely dictate how long the exercises last.
You may experience an increase in dizziness if the exercises prescribed are too advanced, which is why the programme is worked through with your physiotherapist and matched to your condition and stage of recovery.
Your diagnosis, medication use, other health problems, motivation, family support and other psychological factors all play a part.
At LiquidGym our physiotherapists and healthcare team work together through your recovery.
Vestibular assessment including BPPV screening, balance evaluation, and an individualized home exercise programme reviewed at follow-up.
Call LiquidGym at 613-820-8228 to book your initial assessment.
