Vestibular Therapy

Dizziness, nausea, car sickness, feeling off-balance, blurred vision, disorientation, falling or stumbling: These are all symptoms of a vestibular system that is not working properly. The vestibular system is a sensory system in the inner ear that communicates with the brain, and contributes to our balance and spatial orientation. Together with our visual and somatosensory systems, it is responsible for balance. The vestibular system is one of several systems in your body that can become dysfunctional after a brain injury, and  while many people feel better within days to a couple of weeks, up to 30% of concussion patients have symptoms that last for months or years after their injury. Some people have vision problems after a concussion but no vestibular issues; others have vestibular issues without vision problems. Many have both. A good vestibular therapist can create an individualized problem-oriented approach to reduce and resolve vestibular symptoms. They work on three principal methods of exercise: gaze stabilization, habituation, and balance training based on examination findings. Vestibular therapists can add in activity or sport specific training to get patients back to work, or back in the game more quickly. Finding a good vestibular therapist can be a vital component of successful concussion recovery.