Vestibular rehabilitation or therapy can be broadly defined as an exercised based program to enable vestibular adaptation and substitution in a patient. Several recovery mechanisms are facilitated by this therapy like somatosensory cues, postural strategies, vestibular adaptation, substitution by the vision, and habituation. Some of the major goals of seeking therapy can be related to enhancing gaze stability, improving postural stability, alleviate bouts of vertigo, and seek assistance for daily living activities. Identification of the signs of vestibular disorders needs to be appropriate to come forth and seek help via balance therapy. The following signs or symptoms may indicate the need to acquire professional help through therapy.
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One of the primary signs that an individual needs balance training and vestibular rehabilitation is the high frequency of falls while carrying out normal day to day activities. The falls can prove to be extremely dangerous for people of any age group and lead to injuries that leave a lasting mark on the body. Vestibular rehabilitation is recommended in cases where the loss of balance and falls are occurring extremely frequently. This may be caused due to several underlying conditions or damage to the vestibular system that is located in the inner ear and is responsible for the maintenance of the posture and balance in a body. The therapy can help rehash the system and increase body awareness to a certain extent such that the movements do not result in falls or injuries in the future.
Another major cause of concern as well as a reason to see a professional physical therapist is when the patient experiences vertigo. Dizziness, here, is used loosely to define all the motion-related feelings in the body like wooziness, lightheadedness, spinning, floating, swaying, tilting, or whirling sensations in the head. It can be caused by some side effects of certain medications as well therefore it is essential to seek a physician’s analysis of the cause of the dizzy spells. Vertigo is common in a vast population of the country and can be diagnosed by the therapist when a thorough checkup is conducted. Vestibular rehabilitation helps in such cases by enabling the patients with maneuvers that help avoid extreme dizziness or vertigo and avert the different sensations in the head.
These signs are common when someone experiences headaches. Gaze instability can be enhanced with the help of vestibular rehabilitation therapy and is one of the major modalities or exercises while treating any form of vestibular lesions. Substitution by other eye movements can help eliminate the vestibular deficit and hence prevent the patient from perceiving smeared retinal images during head movements. Exercises like central programming and enhancing smooth pursuit eye movements can be an extremely effective way to eliminate the blurred vision.
Similar to imbalance and falls, postural instability is observed in a crooked walk that seems to be developed due to a condition or an abnormality in your posturography. Vestibular therapy equips the patient with techniques like Embley maneuvers that help reposition the canaliths systems. This may occur due to conditions like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The treatments are extremely safe and help the patients to physically heal from imbalance and instability. The postural instability can be cured by treating the underlying dysfunction.
These symptoms may appear as common signs but their frequency and discomfort cause great trouble to the patients. Vestibular therapy and rehabilitation act as a saving grace, giving these patients a chance to restabilize their posture, balance, and gait for smoother functioning of life.
Martin is a writer, student and pet lover. He loves butter chicken, and seeing his small pug, naughty Annie. When he isn't writing, you can find her at near Starbucks.
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