Vestibular Restoration

What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

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Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) is a specialised form of therapy to improve the symptoms caused by vestibular disorders. It often includes exercises - head position manipulations and/or a progressive program of exercises designed to reduce vertigo and dizziness, visual problems and improve balance in general, ultimately aiming to reduce the risk of falls. After a disorder of the vestibular system, the central nervous system can compensate for the reduced functioning of the inner ear. Essentially, the brain compensates for the wrong information from the labyrinth that has the disorder by making more use of alternative signals coming from other body systems, in order to maintain the overall balance.

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This can be achieved through various exercise strategies, which are applied in the specialised department of dizziness - vertigo and balance disorders at St. Luke's Hospital. When this central (or cerebral) decompensation is achieved, patients' symptoms are alleviated and allow them to return to everyday life more quickly and more safely.

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To whom this modern treatment of balance disorders is addressed?

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It is addressed to patients who suffer chronically from vertigo due to vestibular neuritis, labynthitis and Meniere's disease. Also, in central vertigo aetiology, there are special protocols which aim to balance the proper functioning of the brain, so as not to disturb the patient's balance by intense visual stimuli and stressful situations.

In the elderly who suffer from underlying neurological or orthopaedic problems, we are able, in the rehabilitation department, with the cooperation of physiotherapists, to reprogram the overall neuromotor behaviour, in order to achieve better balancing behaviour and reduce the risk of falling.

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- Antonios Vassiliadis, Otolaryngologist