What is Vestibular Therapy and How Can It Help You?

The vestibular system, sometimes referred to as the inner ear, is responsible for your orientation or the awareness of your body’s position in relation to gravity. This system gives you your sense of upright in a static or still position as well as when you are moving. Vestibular system dysfunction has a wide range of symptoms and may be caused by a variety of problems such as BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), vestibular hypofunction, Meniere’s Disease, vestibular migraines, and more.

Physical therapists who help people with vestibular problems assess several things to determine the cause, including but not limited to:

  • Oculomotor (eye movement) function
  • Vestibular function
  • Balance function in still positions and/or during movement

Based on the results of these assessments, your therapist creates a treatment plan based on your specific needs and goals.

Here are some common activities that vestibular physical therapy can help:

  • Vertigo with positional changes caused by BPPV
  • Management strategies for Meniere’s Disease and vestibular migraines
  • Maintaining gaze within a moving environment (i.e., driving or riding in a car, walking, etc.)
  • Improving ability to tolerate busy visual environments such as the grocery store
  • Balancing while standing and/or moving with head turns, visual motion, and uneven surfaces
  • Developing your independence with management of specific symptoms

Our vestibular experts are located at multiple Sheltering Arms Institute outpatient locations. To schedule an appointment, please call (804) 764-1000 or visit www.shelteringarmsinstitute.com/conditions-and-services/vestibular-rehabilitation.

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