Feeling Dizzy? Regain Your Balance with Vestibular Rehab

June 17, 2024

Do you experience dizziness, vertigo, or a feeling of imbalance that disrupts your daily life? You’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from these conditions, often caused by inner ear problems. But there’s good news! Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) therapy can significantly improve these symptoms and help you regain your balance.

What is Vestibular Rehab?

VR therapy is a personalized exercise program designed to retrain your brain to compensate for inner ear dysfunction. The inner ear plays a vital role in balance by sending signals to your brain about your head’s position and movement. When the inner ear is compromised, these signals can become mixed up, leading to dizziness and vertigo.

VR exercises help your brain re-interpret these signals and improve communication between the inner ear, eyes, and sensory systems responsible for balance. This allows your brain to adapt and create a more stable perception of your surroundings, reducing dizziness and vertigo episodes.

Benefits of Vestibular Rehab

Reduced Dizziness and Vertigo Frequency and Severity

VR exercises target the root cause of dizziness and vertigo by retraining the brain to interpret mixed signals from the inner ear. This reduces the frequency and intensity of dizzy spells, allowing you to participate in activities without constant worry.

Improved Balance and Coordination

VR exercises challenge your balance system, strengthening the connection between the inner ear, eyes, and muscles responsible for stability. This leads to improved balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.

Enhanced Sense of Spatial Awareness

VR exercises help your brain create a more accurate map of your surroundings. This improves your sense of spatial awareness, making it easier to navigate your environment without feeling disoriented or unsteady.

Increased Confidence During Daily Activities

By reducing dizziness and vertigo, VR therapy empowers you to participate in daily activities with confidence. You’ll feel less anxious about falling or experiencing dizziness in public settings, allowing you to regain control of your life.

Reduced Fear of Falling

Frequent dizziness and vertigo can lead to a fear of falling, impacting your mobility and overall well-being. VR therapy addresses the underlying cause, reducing dizziness and consequently minimizing the fear of falling. This allows you to move freely and engage in activities you may have previously avoided.

Additional Benefits

VR therapy can also improve your quality of sleep, which can further contribute to better balance and overall well-being.

In some cases, VR therapy may even help manage nausea associated with dizziness and vertigo.

Common Vestibular Rehab Exercises

Vestibular rehab exercises come in various forms, targeting different aspects of the inner ear and balance system. Here’s a closer look at some common exercises:

Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers (CRM):

These are specialized head movements designed to dislodge tiny calcium particles (canaliths) that become misplaced within the inner ear canals.

These particles can trigger vertigo when they move in specific ways.

CRMs involve specific sequences of head and body positioning, often performed with the help of a physical therapist.

Common CRM techniques include the Semont maneuver, the Epley maneuver, and the Liberatory maneuver.

Habituation Exercises:

These exercises gradually challenge the inner ear and brain to adapt to the conflicting signals causing dizziness.

They typically involve repeated head and eye movements in various directions.

By repeatedly exposing yourself to these movements, your brain learns to compensate and reduce the dizziness response.

Examples include nodding your head up and down while focusing on a fixed point, or turning your head from side to side while following a target with your eyes.

Gaze Stabilization Exercises:

These exercises train your eyes and brain to work together more effectively in maintaining visual stability during head movements.

They involve focusing your eyes on a stationary target (like a fingertip held at arm’s length) while slowly moving your head in different directions (up/down, side/side, diagonally).

This strengthens the connection between your visual system and the inner ear, reducing dizziness triggered by head motion.

Balance Training Exercises:

These exercises progressively challenge your balance system, improving your ability to maintain stability on various surfaces.

They may start with simple activities like standing on one leg or walking heel-to-toe.

As you progress, exercises may involve standing on unstable surfaces (foam pads, wobble boards), walking with your eyes closed, or reaching for objects while maintaining balance.

Additional Considerations:

A physical therapist will typically recommend a combination of these exercises tailored to your specific condition and severity.

They’ll also progress the difficulty level as you improve, ensuring a safe and effective program.

It’s important to perform the exercises correctly to maximize benefits and avoid any potential risks.

Consistency is key! Regularly performing your prescribed VR exercises is crucial for retraining your brain and achieving long-term results.

Getting Started with Vestibular Rehab

While some basic VR exercises can be done at home, a physical therapist can create a personalized and safe program tailored to your specific needs and condition. They can also perform a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the cause of your dizziness and ensure VR is the right course of action.

Are you struggling with dizziness or vertigo that disrupts your daily life? Don’t wait any longer! Our experienced physical therapists at Gordon Physical Therapy can create a customized VR program to help you regain your balance and feel confident again. Call us today at 509.892.5442 to schedule an appointment. We are located at Spokane Valley, WA.