Vestibular Rehabilitation
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Dizzy. Disoriented. Lightheaded. If these describe you right now, you’re not alone. An estimated 69 million Americans have suffered from vestibular dysfunction. That is, inner ear problems that leave you feeling dizzy or imbalanced due to a disruption in the connection between the inner ear and the brain.
For some it is a simple case of BPPV (or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), for others it is Mal de Debarquement (“disembarkment syndrome”), and for others still it is longer lasting and more complex. Whatever your diagnosis, when you are having difficulty with dizziness, imbalance, or you feel unsteady on your feet, you need to consider vestibular rehabilitation.
FYZICAL Oakton, and our physical therapists, are on a mission to Fight the Falls. Any time you are suffering from the dizziness, imbalance, or unsteadiness of vestibular dysfunction, you are at risk of sustaining a serious injury from a fall. FYZICAL specializes in vestibular rehabilitation, it is what our therapists treat every day, so when you are looking for a vestibular physical therapist in Oakton, end your search with FYZICAL.
Your musculoskeletal system helps to provide stability and support to your body and allows you to move.
It’s divided into two systems: the muscular and the skeletal systems.
Symptoms of musculoskeletal problems include pain, loss of motion, inflammation, stiffness, numbness, weakness, instability, or deformity.
How does the vestibular system work?
The vestibular system is a main contributor to physical balance. Located in the inner ear, the system senses motion when small hairs, called cilia, are moved by microscopic calcium crystals. When we sit, stand, move, or experience motions (such as in a car) the crystals move the hairs. The brain receives the signals from the hairs, along with information from the eyes and your sense of touch to interpret motion, equilibrium, and orientation in space.
In order to understand how Vestibular Rehabilitation works and the underlying corrective mechanisms, it is important to remember that the primary role of the vestibular system is to tell the brain where the head is in space. Quite simply, the vestibular system is our internal reference telling the brain how our head is orientated - up, down, tilt, etc. The visual and somatosensory (touch, pressure, pain) systems, on the other hand, are external references, providing our brain with information about the movement and stability of the world around us. Working together and when the systems agree, it is the integration of these sensory modalities that provides us with normal equilibrium.
How can vestibular rehabilitation help you?
Vestibular Rehabilitation is a form of Balance Retraining Therapy. It has emerged over the past several years as an alternative treatment for patients with chronic non-resolved motion intolerance, visual sensitivity, and imbalance problems. At FYZICAL, we have a comprehensive balance program that includes assessment and evaluation programs, balance retraining, and vestibular rehabilitation. With balance retraining and vestibular rehabilitation, our goal is to improve balance function and visual motor control, increase general activity levels, and help your body compensate for inner ear disorders. We utilize a state-of-the-art balance machine and our balance therapy programs have a 99% balance improvement success rate.
Common Vestibular Issues
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
- MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
- Vestibular Hypofunction: Labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis
- Migraine Associated Dizziness
- Post-Concussions and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries)
- Neck Related Dizziness & Vertigo
- Fall Risk Seniors
- Musculoskeletal Balance Disorders
- Parkinson's