Vestibular Rehabilitation

VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION IN MCKINNEY, TX

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is a type of physical therapy that helps treat dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems. VRT involves specific exercises that stimulate your vestibular system and train your brain to adapt to changes in your inner ear and visual fields to reduce your risk of falling and improve your quality of life. The physical therapists at FYZICAL McKinney Lake Forest will thoroughly assess your condition to develop an individualized treatment plan that may include VRT to manage your symptoms.

The Basics of the Vestibular System

The vestibular system is part of your nervous system and helps to maintain your balance and orientation in space. Your vestibular system is essential for performing many tasks, such as standing, walking, and running.

The vestibular system consists of two main components: the central vestibular system and the peripheral vestibular system.

Central vestibular system — located in the brainstem and cerebellum, this system receives signals from the peripheral vestibular system and other sensory systems, including proprioception and vision. The central vestibular system processes these signals and sends commands to the eyes and muscles to adjust eye movements and posture.
Peripheral nervous system — The peripheral nervous system is located in your inner ear and includes the semicircular canal, the utricle, and the saccule. These structures contain sensory cells, called cilia, that detect movement and the position of your head.

Injuries, infections, tumors, or aging can interfere with the normal functioning of your vestibular system, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, hearing loss, tinnitus, and nausea. These symptoms can lead to an increased risk of falling.

Types of Vestibular Disorders

The following are common types of vestibular disorders caused by vestibular system dysfunction:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): This condition is one of the most common types of vestibular disorders. It is caused by the dislodgment of otoconia in the inner ear. The inner ear houses tiny calcium crystals (otoconia) that help you maintain balance by sending signals to the brain. However, these microscopic crystals may be forcefully knocked out of place and into the ear’s semicircular canals. BBPV causes severe vertigo, making you feel a sudden internal or external spinning sensation.
Labyrinthitis: This is another vestibular disorder that affects structures of the inner ear that comprise the vestibular system. The labyrinth is an inner ear structure that deals with hearing and balance. However, this structure may be damaged through bacterial or viral infection, leading to the inflammation of the labyrinth (labyrinthitis). Labyrinthitis is often characterized by dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms.
Meniere’s disease: This vestibular disorder is a chronic condition that causes severe episodes of vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and hearing loss. The exact cause of Meniere’s disease is unknown. However, abnormal fluid (endolymph) buildup in the inner ear's labyrinth is a factor that contributes to this disorder.
Vestibular Neuritis: The vestibular nerve transmits sensory information from the inner ear to the brain for balance and coordination. However, viral infections may affect this nerve, leading to inflammation, swelling, and severe damage, known as vestibular neuritis. Damage to the vestibular nerve may hinder the communication between the inner ear and the brain, resulting in dizziness, vertigo, and other balance disorders.

Other vestibular disorders include vestibular migraines, ototoxicity, acoustic neuroma, vestibulopathy, etc. These vestibular disorders cause dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems that can be treated with vestibular rehabilitation therapy in McKinney, TX.

What is Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)?

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is a form of balance retraining therapy. It involves performing specific exercises to stimulate your vestibular system to train your brain to adapt to changes in your inner ear by using other sensory systems, such as proprioception and vision, to maintain your balance. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy alleviates numerous symptoms of vestibular disorders, including dizziness, vertigo, balance issues, etc. You may experience the following during vestibular rehabilitation physical therapy in McKinney, TX:

Initial evaluation: Before beginning vestibular rehabilitation therapy, your physical therapist may try to determine the extent of damage to your vestibular system. A comprehensive assessment of your vestibular system function may include a review of your medical history, evaluation of your symptoms, a physical examination, and a couple of diagnostic tests, such as balance and gait tests, positional testing, vestibular function tests, etc. These tests may help your physical therapist diagnose vestibular disorders and determine the appropriate vestibular rehabilitation techniques.
Treatment plan: After a comprehensive assessment, your physical therapist will design a unique treatment plan that meets your needs and helps you accomplish your treatment goals. Vestibular rehabilitation treatment plans often contain exercises that improve or restore vestibular functions. Some of the most common exercises for vestibular rehabilitation include habituation exercises, gaze stabilization exercises, balance training exercises, postural exercises, etc.
Patient education: Physical therapists also educate their patients during vestibular rehabilitation therapy. They explain how VRT helps vestibular disorders and ensure that patients are self-sufficient in managing the symptoms of vestibular dysfunction.

Conditions Treated With Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular rehabilitation can be beneficial for you if you are suffering from different vestibular conditions, including:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson’s Disease
Inner ear issues such as labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis
Dizziness associated with migraine
Post-concussion
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Musculoskeletal balance disorders
Neck-related dizziness
Vertigo

Vestibular rehabilitation can also be beneficial for seniors who are at risk of falling.

Benefits of Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular rehabilitation helps to improve your balance and stability, reduce dizziness and vertigo, improve mobility, confidence, and independence, and decrease your risk of falls, which helps to enhance your quality of life.

FYZICAL McKinney Lake Forest has a comprehensive balance program that includes assessment and evaluation programs, balance retraining, and vestibular rehabilitation. Call us today to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Does Vestibular Therapy Help?

Vestibular therapy helps with vestibular disorders. It helps people suffering from vestibular disorders regain balance, improve their quality of life, and treat and manage the various symptoms of the condition, including dizziness, vertigo, nausea, etc.

What is Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy?

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy that involves performing specific exercises to stimulate your vestibular system to train your brain to adapt to changes in your inner ear by using other sensory systems, such as proprioception and vision, to maintain your balance.

What Can I Expect When I Go To Vestibular Rehabilitation?

When you go for vestibular rehabilitation in McKinney, TX, you can expect to undergo a comprehensive assessment, patient education, and other physical therapy treatment techniques, including habituation exercises, gaze stabilization exercises, balance training exercises, postural training, etc.

Conclusion

Vestibular disorders affect your ability to maintain balance and put you at risk of falling and developing injuries that can restrict your mobility and physical function. Vestibular-related balance problems significantly reduce your quality of life because they prevent you from performing basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Fortunately, we offer vestibular rehabilitation therapy at FYZICAL McKinney Lake Forest, to reverse the effects of vestibular disorder and ensure that you can maintain good balance. We aim to treat and manage vestibular disorder symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.