Vestibular Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy in Edmonton
The vestibular organs in your inner ears measure the rotations and tilts of your head, forward and back, and up and down. The vestibular nerve serves as a connection between your inner ear and your brain. The nerves transmit the measurements from your inner ears to your brain, so it can process the data.
That way, you accurately detect movement and your head’s position, so you can react when anything changes.
Your brain also uses backup information from other parts of your body. Your vision, hearing, touch, joints, muscles, tendons, memories, and emotions all add up. Your vestibular system sends nerve impulses to your body to react.
That’s why you fall, feel dizzy, or bump into things if your vestibular system is off.
What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Vestibular Therapy (VRT) is a specific type of physiotherapy you may be prescribed if you have been diagnosed with symptoms connected to vestibular disorders. The therapy involves a series of manual head maneuvers that your physiotherapist performs for you.
These passive movements are proven to reduce dizziness and vertigo, visual issues, and improve balance problems that cause falls. You’ll also have a progressive series of exercises supporting those head movements.
How Can Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit You?
After your vestibular system is injured, your central nervous system tries to compensate for any reduced function in your inner ears. Your brain tries to cope with the unbalanced signals from your vestibular system by relying more on signals from other parts of your body to maintain your balance.
Vestibular Physiotherapy in Edmonton deliberately provides your brain with the information it needs to learn how to compensate.
You’ll find that Vestibular Therapy in Edmonton, AB, helps with:
- Imbalance
- Headaches
- Vertigo (spinning sensation)
- Dizziness
- Nausea, vomiting, fatigue
- Difficulty walking
- Lightheadedness
- Frequent falling
- Vision issues like double vision, trouble focusing, shaky vision during head
movements, low screen time tolerance - Neck tightness, stiffness, pain
- Brain fog, some mild memory issues, trouble concentrating
Does Vestibular Rehabilitation Hurt?
Some patients find they have a temporary, incremental increase in dizziness, nausea, or queasiness after the exercises. This is a normal reaction as your brain sorts out the new movement patterns.
So, no, Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy in Edmonton doesn’t hurt, but some of your current symptoms may be aggravated in the short term. Always let your physiotherapist know how you are feeling!
What Conditions Can Vestibular Rehabilitation Treat?
Patients find Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy in Edmonton helps vestibular conditions like:
- Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)
- Cervicogenic Dizziness
- Meniere’s Disease
- Vestibular Migraine
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Vestibular deconditioning from aging or inactivity
- Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis
- Mal de Debarquement (MdDS)
- Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
- Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction (UVH)
- Neurological Conditions (stroke, concussion, traumatic brain injury, etc.)
- and many other vestibular conditions
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
At your first appointment, you will receive a comprehensive assessment. Even with a previous diagnosis, your physiotherapist at Turning Point Physical Therapy will consider:
- Your symptoms
- When you started having symptoms
- How your condition has progressed
- Your medical history
The medical evaluation involves:
- Positional testing
- Testing reflexive eye movements (nystagmus)
- Balance tests
- Reflex tests for your central nervous system
- Cranial nerve tests on specific brain functions
- Cervical assessments of your joints, muscle function and the blood flow in your neck
- Tests of visual oculomotor function
- Gait assessment for walking and general mobility
Fortunately, your physiotherapist is highly trained to complete all these tests. They guide you through every step! Then, your physiotherapist takes the test results and determines if vestibular therapy is an appropriate treatment. If not, they’ll recommend another treatment plan. If vestibular therapy could help, you’ll learn about the customized plan to improve the deficits identified in your exam. This will help you improve your daily function!
Turning Point Physical Therapy Specializes in Vestibular Rehabilitation in Edmonton
Vestibular Rehabilitation is especially popular with our patients here at Turning Point Physical Therapy. We specialize in Vestibular Physiotherapy Services in Edmonton. This proven treatment impacts patient quality of life while reducing the risk of falls. Long-lasting relief without side effects!
If you feel dizzy, have trouble with falls, or suspect you have a vestibular disorder, vestibular rehabilitation therapy in Edmonton might be the next step. The highly trained physiotherapists at Turning Point Physical Therapy are here to help you. Call today to make an appointment.
