Vestibular and Balance Rehabilitation focuses on evaluation and treatment of the inner ear and other disorders resulting in complaints of vertigo, dizziness and decreased balance.  Vestibular rehabilitation works to improve balance, reduce fall risk and reduce problems related to dizziness and imbalance by incorporating specialized exercises that help to retrain the inner ear and balance systems by “retraining the brain”.

The symptom of dizziness is subjective and can be described many different ways.  Dizziness can be described as a sensation of lightheadedness, unsteadiness, faintness, fogginess, spaciness and haziness.  On the other hand, vertigo is the illusion of movement or spinning—either self or surroundings.  Disequilibrium is unsteadiness, loss of equilibrium, or imbalance which typically occurs while a person is standing, moving or walking.

Symptoms of dizziness can result from many conditions such as:

• Vestibular Disorders including:
  • BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
  • Vestibular neuritis
  • Vestibular labyrinthitis
  • Meniere’s Disease/Syndrome
• Cervicogenic dizziness (related to neck dysfunction)
• Post Concussive Disorder
• Multifactorial Balance and Gait Disorders

Treatment may include education about the condition, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise for flexibility, strength endurance, and neuromuscular re-education for balance and retraining.  Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc. utilizes a collaborative approach on each patient drawing from the collective years of experience of their therapists for the most complete and optimal outcome for each patient.