Vestibular Rehab

I never went to vest rehab as they had recommended - primarily because it was simply something to supposedly train you to help if/when an attack - not to prevent them. I believe that vestibular rehab absolutely makes sense after a gent shot, laby or VNS which can destroy part of your balance. however, in my personal opinion - but that is personal and clearly not from first hand experience - I do not believe that any rehab can help to train your mind/body on how to cope better when the room is spinning around violently like a merry go round on speed. Just my opinion and others may have found it to assist them.

 

If you have vertigo as in true spinning it will not help you. However if you were diagnosed with labyrinthitis which is a viral attack of the inner ear that goes away in just a few months, then vestibular rehab will help, sync and calibrate the eyes brain and balance together, and yes it has a high success rate, but if you really have menieres I don't think it will help because it will always undo your vestibular rehab work. Hope that makes sense.

 

I had vestubular rehab in June 2015 and I was discharged in September 2015 . I had had a series of attacks (3 weeks) in September 2014. It left me with some balance problems: struggled walking in the dark, lightheadness, I wasn't able to look up or down when walking etc. I took the rehab very seriously, I was told to exercise 2x a day and I did so for all those 4 months !and results 95% of what it was like before the attacks in 2014. And now...
since I haven't been able to get rid of recurrent attacks since September 2015, my brain compensates very quickly after each attack and I am up and walking confidently in no time. I still exercise ( once a week) as a reminder to my brain. Rehab has helped a lot and I am glad I undertook it. The only thing is to be consistent and persevere no matter how boring the exercises are! Good luck !!

 

I agree Marta. Vestibular Rehab has been a life-saver for me. I started last September and now go twice monthly. My Therapist is awesome! I think the key is someone who is trained in Vestibular issues and better yet, has experience with Meniere's patients. I did a lot of research and was able to find a PT group that specializes in vestibular therapy only. Not only do they have brain damaged patients but also deal with meniere's patients. My therapist really seems to understand my condition. She listens to me and addresses my concerns.
I couldn't even walk straight last summer. She is helping me retrain my brain to deal with the damaged balance nerve. I try to do my exercises 3+ times a week as the more I do them, the more I can deal with setbacks. I am walking 90% better and I am now driving again (although I avoid the freeway....stress level tends to rise). Prozeal, I do get true vertigo where I get violent spinning. It may not help me during the attack, but it seems that my attacks have been shorter and I recover faster. I realize my vestibular exercises will have to be a priority in my life forever. I notice when I miss a couple of weeks, it affects me as my balance, moving my head, bright lights, and dealing with traffic become much more difficult.

 

I did rehab. Nothing. Felt better after i quit.

 

Anyone interested in this topic should go to the archives and search vestibular rehab. Lots and lots of discussion there.

 

Very interesting to know that you recover much quicker from doing the the vestibular rehab, I thought it would reset all the rehab work each time after an attack but I guess even so it still helps to recover quickly. Good to know! I should start doing mine too.

Do any of you feel like you're floating while doing any of the exercises?

 

While exercising you should feel uncomfortable eg a little bit dizzy. It means the exercise makes your brain work. The dizziness should stop right after you stop exercising. I felt I was floating before I started the rehab . After about 2 months of excercising the sensation was completely gone. Even now, struggling with vertigo again, no floating! It's just either vertigo ( pre or after feels uncomfortable as well) or absolutely fine- no balance problems!

 

Thanks a lot Marta! For two years now I feel floaty or like walking on a trampoline. Maybe this is the answer. Marta you ever had the feeling of walking on a trampoline before doing the exercise? And how frequently? Mine is everyday.

I tried MAV protocols and I don't think that's it.

 

Yes! Walking on a trampoline or as I used to say " walking on a cloud." I had the sensation all the time. Literally every step! It was very weird ! Now everything is gone -100% - no more cloud walking! Back to normal

 

Wow that's incredible!! I'm due to get a steroid injection in my ear on March 18th, I'm thinking now maybe I should cancel and try this first before going invasive like that. Because although I have ringing in my ears which can get loud at times and very slight ear pressure in the right ear, my number one complaint is the trampoline feeling!

I did see a physiotherapist specializing in balance disorders and he gave me exercises. When I asked him if it would fix the floaty feeling he said it should but didn't seem too sure despite having a lot of experience in this field, that's why I never followed it through for extended periods, I only did it for a week and didn't notice a difference so I stopped.

I've linked the exercises given to me Marta and anyone else who is curious what it involves below. Are these the exercises you did to get rid of the trampoline/cloud feeling or were there more? Here it is http://i.imgur.com/x4gINPj.jpg

Thank you!

 

Wanted to post my update on the rehab therapy.

Ive been on a water pill forever, and last September I started Clonazepam. By November I was having vertigo almost daily. My doctor said I should be doing VRT as well. I did it earlier in the year for a few weeks for my dizziness but my Physiotherapist said I can stop the exercises as it wont help with the vertigo. Well my doctor believed otherwise and told me to keep doing it. He said 3-6 months and I should be much better.

I started the rehab on Dec 5th, and the attacks slowed down until Jan 28th. That was my last attack up until this past weekend. So 4 months with 0 attacks! Naturally im sad that I just had one but 4 months of no spins was great. I did start to have a couple short dizzy spells the 2 weeks before the vertigo attack happened so I should have seen it coming. I should have started up the rehab again. I stopped doing the exercises after going 2 months without any symptoms as I felt great and my VNG came back great as well. My physio always said if the symptoms come back, start doing them again. I also partly blame my diet as I have been slipping a little and drinking coffee and eating more sugar and chocolate than I should be.

My doctor has said that 95% of his patients respond to this therapy as well. I know its no cure but im hopeful that its helping me. I tried acyclovir and valacyclovir last year which didnt help at all unfortunately.

 

Old thread, new question.

I’m learning the vestibular Physiotherapy moves from the house Ear Clinic website, in anticipation of my gentamicin injections.

But I’m also back in daily, but short, vertigo episodes. Once the vertigo is settled, should I still push the rehab exercises? Or give myself a day or two off?

Any other good resources online?
I can do most of the eyes open exercises fine, and the eyes closed ones are the most difficult.

I haven’t seen a vestibular Physiotherapist in about 10 years. Most of them seem pretty focused on Benign Positional Vertigo. If Dr Hwang recommends one, I’ll go post-gent, but I’m hoping to do as much as possible on my own.

 

I've found vestibular therapy very helpful. Once your vestibular system is taken down by the destructive method of choice, you won't feel much like going anywhere. I had two sessions pre-laby to get the exercise regimen and make sure I was doing it right. She also coached me on safety tips like how to get my bathroom set up, keeping flashlights and nightlights around (without vision it's difficult to keep yourself upright when half your vestibular system has been wiped out), travel tips, and so on. She was totally focused on vestibular rehab; not at all on BPPV moves.

The advice I received was to try to do the exercises consistently (no days off) and to do the specified quantity unless I felt a touch of nausea or dizziness, then stop until the next session, and try a different exercise. A good VT can determine whether you need to do the exercises where you move your head keeping your eyes focused on a set spot, or whether you need to move your eyes while keeping your head still. She can help you strengthen balance as you walk by looking left and right or up and down while moving (harder than you think at first!). Walking daily even a little is extremely important. It's uncomfortable right after treatment because the world bounces as you walk (oscillopsia), like the old movie cameras used to do. But by doing more walking your brain will learn to accommodate.

Your vestibular function is already down 50% on your affected side, right? It makes sense that the eyes-closed exercises are difficult, and they will become more so after gent/laby. Doing exercises now can help strengthen the reliance on your good side, and that will help the adjustment after treatment. The balance system is like a three-legged stool, relying on the inner ear, the proprioceptors in the lower leg muscles, and on vision. Taking away any of those does pretty much what a three-legged stool would do if you took away one of the .

You've got this, Anne!

 

Thanks Clare!

That’s a good idea, to get some preemptive Physiotherapy sessions in before my gentamicin takes effect. I was going to wait for a recommendation from the doctor, but I can always switch over if necessary.

 

Hi Anne, I did not do vestibular training so not able to comment on that. However I was advised to walk as much as possible. If you need walking sticks do invest in them. Anything that will keep you walking
Walk on different terrain and keep looking forward. I remember feeling like I had giant clown shoes on my feet! One step at a time. I walked in the woods a lot. It made me balance and gave me great peace of mind. My advice get a new pair of walking shoes and wear them out