What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation is a specialized form of physiotherapy aimed at alleviating balance and dizziness issues caused by deficits of the inner ear. It focuses on improving vestibular function through targeted exercises and movement strategies that promote central nervous system compensation.

Commonly Asked Vertigo Therapy Questions

If I have a vestibular problem what could my symptoms be?

• Vertigo (A sensation of spinning)
• Dizziness
• Light headedness
• Imbalance and Spatial Disorientation
• Headaches or head pressure
• Vision Disturbances (shaky or unstable vision, issues with focusing and screens)
• Hearing Changes (sensitivity to loud noises, or hearing loss)
• Tinnitus (ringing or noise in the ears)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mild memory concerns
• Anxiety and/or depression

Other Symptoms: These can include nausea, sweating, vomiting, fatigue, and changes in heart rate.

What can I expect at a Halifax vestibular rehabilitation assessment?

During a vestibular physiotherapy assessment, our Bedford physiotherapists will perform a series of tests and evaluations to understand the patient’s condition. The process generally includes:

♦ Patient Interview

The physiotherapist begins with a thorough interview to understand your medical history, symptoms, and lifestyle. This will involve questions about your vertigo, dizziness, balance issues, falls, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and other related symptoms.

♦ Physical Examination

This includes general physical checks as well as specific vestibular tests. You might be asked to perform certain movements to evaluate your balance, eye movement, coordination, and strength. These tests can include the Romberg test, the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, and the Head Impulse Test, among others.

♦ Functional Balance Assessment

The physiotherapist will observe you performing everyday tasks like sit to stand, standing in more complex situations (uneven surface, eyes closed, narrow stance) to assess your functional balance.

♦ Gait Assessment

This involves observing your walking pattern to identify any irregularities that might contribute to balance problems.

♦ Neurological Examination

To rule out other conditions, a basic neurological exam will be conducted to assess your reflexes, strength, sensation, and coordination.

♦ Infrared goggle examination

Balance 360 Health is one of the few clinics that uses this technology. Eye movements provide information about your vestibular system. Infrared goggles can detect abnormal eye movements (called nystagmus), and assist us in a more precise identification of your condition.

♦ Formulation of Treatment Plan

Based on the assessment findings, our Bedford physiotherapists will develop a personalized treatment plan targeting your specific issues. The vertigo treatment plan will determine the number of required follow up sessions.

What could my vertigo treatment plan involve?

♦ Repositioning maneuvers

If your condition is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), your treatment will involve guided movements of your head and body to assist in repositioning calcium carbonate crystals in your vestibular system.

♦ Vestibular Exercises

Specific exercises are prescribed to help the brain relearn how to interpret and process signals from the vestibular system and coordinate them with visual inputs. Innovative technology may be used to assist in these exercises and motivate client participation.

♦ Balance Training

This includes exercises to improve stability, posture control, and functional mobility, reducing the risk of falls. To assist in client safety and confidence, the use of a stabilizing Solo Step ™ harness system can be used.

♦ Habituation Exercises

These are meant to desensitize you to movements that provoke symptoms, helping to reduce dizziness and vertigo. Innovative technology may be used to assist in these exercise.

♦ Gaze Stabilization Exercises

These exercises help to control eye movements, making it easier to focus on moving objects without experiencing dizziness.

♦ Lifestyle Adjustments

Patients are also advised about certain modifications in their diet and lifestyle

Remember, it’s important to wear comfortable clothing that allows easy movement and to bring any relevant medical reports or documents for your Halifax vestibular rehabilitation therapy appointment.

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Looking for Vestibular Therapy in Halifax?

If you are suffering from dizziness, imbalance or vertigo, you may need vestibular rehabilitation therapy. Vestibular conditions may also present light headedness, visual distortions and head spinning, difficulty concentrating, among other symptoms.

As a Halifax vestibular rehabilitation clinic, our team is committed to helping clients successfully manage and overcome vertigo.

Our Bedford physiotherapy clinic specializes in vertigo therapy, assessing and treating dizziness and imbalance. Schedule a vertigo assessment appointment today!