What is vestibular rehabilitation?
The vestibular system is the balance organ in your inner ear and the brain pathways that use it. When it is disturbed, you may feel spinning, light-headedness or unsteadiness, especially when you turn your head.
Vestibular rehabilitation is a set of exercises that helps the brain adapt, so the dizziness settles and balance improves. A physiotherapist chooses them after assessing what is causing the symptoms.
When does it help?
It can help with some kinds of inner-ear problems, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which causes short spins when you roll over in bed or look up. It also helps when dizziness lingers after an inner-ear illness or head injury.
The first step is to find the cause. Some forms need a specific head-position treatment, which a trained physiotherapist or doctor performs, rather than general exercises.
When is it an emergency?
Go to the emergency department at once if dizziness comes with a sudden severe headache, face droop, arm weakness, slurred speech, double vision, trouble walking, or after a head injury.
These can be signs of stroke or another serious problem. Do not wait for a physiotherapy appointment. See also our page on red flags.
An everyday example in Ipoh
A man in his seventies feels the room spin each morning when he turns over on his pillow, and has started to avoid the stairs. After his doctor rules out serious causes, the physiotherapist tests his head positions, finds the pattern and treats it, then teaches him safe ways to get out of bed.
His daughter makes sure there is a night light and no loose mat at the bedside.
Related terms and our pages
- Balance training: practice that keeps you steady.
Read about vertigo and BPPV, balance problems and neck pain and dizziness.