Balance & Vestibular Rehabilitation

Overview

Balance is your body’s ability to stay upright and steady. Without balance, you can trip and fall more than normal, and may be seriously hurt. If you feel unsteady or are falling more often, it’s time to get your balance and vestibular (inner ear) system checked.

What to Expect

Physical therapists and audiologists assess your strength and endurance, and check for problems with your inner ears, vision, and your body’s internal sense of space (called “proprioception”). With a combination of hands-on, clinical tests and advanced technology, your therapists will work with you to identify the cause of your balance problem.

Once a diagnosis is made, you’ll work as a team to create an individualized treatment plan. Treatment may include physical therapy, vestibular rehab, changes to your home environment or more advanced techniques. The goal of vestibular rehab is to help you improve your strength and balance so you can feel confident in getting back to your daily routines.

Preparing for Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation

You’ll start with routine screening. Based on this assessment, your therapist will help you determine if further treatment is necessary, or if home safety strategies will be enough to prevent future falls.

Your therapist may recommend having a friend or family member help you look for fall hazards at home. Careful furniture and rug placement can help decrease your risk of injury. Turning on lights at night is another simple way to prevent falls. If needed, we will also help you with assistive devices like walkers, canes or grab bars.

Understanding Therapy Options

Your treatment is personalized to your specific needs, and may include:

• Traditional physical therapy.
• Neurocom Balance Master. This computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) device helps your therapists identify the source of most balance disturbances. The Balance Master may also be part of your ongoing treatment, alone or combined with traditional therapy.
• Vestibular rehabilitation. If inner ear dysfunction is contributing to your balance problems, vestibular rehab can help. Positional maneuvering and exercises are used to treat vestibular conditions like vertigo.
• Vestibular diagnostic testing. If you need diagnostic measures beyond traditional physical therapy or the Neurocom Balance Master, your therapist may refer you to the Vestibular Diagnostic Clinic. Vestibular diagnostic testing includes calorics (acoustic nerve testing), rotary chair testing and a comprehensive hearing screen.

Questions to Ask Your Provider About Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation

• What steps can I take to be safe at home?
• Will this impact my work?
• Can I exercise safely?
• How long can I expect treatment to last?
• How can I arrange for assistive devices?
• What can I do to improve my safety and balance?