Vestibular Rehab

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) can involve both a therapist-assisted

maneuver and an exercise-based program designed to provide therapy for 

inner ear deficits. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy can help with a variety 

of vestibular problems, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo 

(BPPV), labyrinthitis, and vestibular neuritis. Even individuals with long-

term unresolved inner ear disorders who have undergone a period of medical

management with little or no success may benefit.

 

A trained Physician or Physiotherapist will first perform a thorough 

evaluation that begins with a medical history and includes observing and 

measuring posture, balance and gait. The assessment may also include 

eye-head coordination tests that measure how well a person’s eyes track 

a moving object with or without head movement. Other assessments may 

be used, such as a questionnaire measuring the frequency and severity of 

symptoms and associated lifestyle changes. 

Using the evaluation results, the therapist will develop an individualized 

treatment plan that includes specific head, body, and eye exercises to be 

performed both in the therapy setting and at home. These exercises are 

designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the 

vestibular system and coordinate them with information from vision and 

proprioception. 

 

Depending on the diagnosis, the in-office treatment with the therapist may 

also involve a specialized form of VRT called a canalith repositioning 

procedure, which is often referred to as the Epley maneuver.