Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy at PT360

Have you noticed that your balance doesn’t seem as stable as it used to be? Do you sometimes feel dizzy when you turn your head quickly? Does rolling in bed cause the room to spin? These are all common symptoms of vestibular disorders and they can often be addressed with physical therapy. 

Vestibular disorders are conditions that affect the Vestibular System, which is responsible for maintaining our sense of balance and spatial orientation. The Vestibular System is composed of a bony cavity in our inner ear, called the labyrinth, and areas of the brain involved in controlling movements of the eyes, head, limbs, and trunk. Our brain integrates input from the vestibular labyrinth, eyes, muscles and joints and then coordinates the body’s response to maintain balance and equilibrium.  A well functioning Vestibular System allows us to sense when we’re moving versus stationary, controls our ability to recover our balance if we start to fall, it keeps our eyes focused while driving on a bumpy road, and enables us to keep walking in a straight line while looking around at our surroundings. 

Dysfunction of our Vestibular System can cause a myriad of symptoms, including dizziness and vertigo, visual and auditory changes, unsteadiness, headaches, and disequilibrium. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can significantly impact function. It’s important to note that many other conditions can also cause these symptoms and the diagnosis of a vestibular disorder can sometimes require the collaboration of multiple healthcare providers.

PT360 has several therapists with advanced training to perform a comprehensive clinical examination and treatment of vestibular disorders. Our Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) program involves developing an individualized, exercise-based program based on the patient history, clinical assessment, and patient goals. VRT may also include repositioning maneuvers, which are used to treat Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), a common vestibular disorder that occurs when the “crystals” in your inner ear become displaced. Your vestibular-trained therapist will determine the specific cause of your BPPV and may perform a repositioning maneuver to guide the crystals back into their proper location in the inner ear.

If you or someone you know has been dealing with dizziness, imbalance, or other vestibular symptoms, PT360 is here to help. To optimally achieve your goals, we will also advise you if we feel other specialists may need to be included in your care. For more information on our Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy program and our VRT therapists, please visit our Vestibular Rehabilitation page.