Vestibular Therapy is Effective
For people with dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and falls, I highly recommend Vestibular Therapy, also called VRT, Vestibular Rehab, Vestibular Rehabilitation, and Vestibular Physical Therapy.
There is a very large and growing body of research that supports Vestibular Therapy. The published research from around the world proves that this specialized type of physical therapy works!
However, I hear from people all the time who have completed 6-8 weeks of Vestibular Physical Therapy at another clinic and have not improved. One new patient I just worked with had actually completed two consecutive rounds of therapy with no improvement before I met her.
So the question becomes why doesn’t Vestibular Therapy always work?
Seven Reasons VRT Doesn’t Work
Missed the BPPV Crystals
One of the most common reasons that someone will not get better with a full 4-8 week course of Vestibular Therapy is because BPPV was missed.
BPPV crystals must be assessed and treated at the very beginning of VRT. I meet many people who have been unsuccessful with Vestibular Rehab and I find atypical BPPV when I examine them.
Atypical BPPV is an unusual type of BPPV. Treating BPPV or ruling it out is necessary for a good outcome with VRT.
The Neck is Getting Aggravated
Vestibular Physical Therapy often involves movements of the head and neck.
I have met many people who were unsuccessful in Vestibular Therapy because they had a neck problem that was not addressed. Neck problems can become aggravated with VRT exercises. This can exacerbate headaches and neck pain. Lightheadedness can be caused by neck problems being aggravated by VRT exercises. Neck problems that are not addressed may limit the results of Vestibular Therapy or make patients feel worse.
Incorrect Exercise Parameters
The research is very clear about what works for Vestibular exercise protocols. If the exercise protocols are not being followed correctly, then the exercises may not work.
Exercise parameters include a lot of details such as the angle of the head, the speed of movement, the arc of motion, the direction of movement, the duration of the exercise, any pause or hold times, etc. Precision and accuracy are keys to success with Vestibular Therapy exercise protocols.
Incorrect exercise parameters are a third reason why Vestiubular Therapy may not work.
Overlooked a Piece of the Puzzle
Most patients I meet have more than one cause of their dizziness or balance issues.
Vestibular problems are a common cause of discomfort, but sometimes other pieces of the puzzle are overlooked.
This may occur due to tunnel vision of healthcare providers focusing only on their area of specialty. For example, there may be a missing piece of puzzle, like a cardiac issue or vision problem. Blood sugar, auto-immune, and thyroid problems may be overlooked and go unaddressed.
Another puzzle piece in Vestibular Therapy that often gets missed is mental health. Sometimes anxiety, depression, or PTSD may go unaddressed. I share below more about mental health affecting VRT outcomes.
Missing puzzle pieces can limit the final level of recovery. In order to make sure that my patients consult with all the relevant professionals, I have developed my own method of evaluation for complaints of dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and falls.
Interference affecting Brain Function
Certain things can interfere with the brain’s ability to benefit from Vestibular Therapy. The top two causes of interference are stress and medications that affect the central nervous system. Both of those things affect the function of the brain.
In order to fully benefit from Vestibular Physical Therapy, the brain function must be working well!
Medications must be reviewed by the Vestibular Physical Therapist in coordination with the prescribing physician.
Stress must be managed in order the get the best results from Vestibular Therapy.
Mental Health
People with unaddressed mental health fluctuations do not get the optimal outcomes from vestibular rehab.
This may be due to anxiety causing stress which interferes with the brain’s re-calibration.
Excessive worrying can definitely magnify symptoms. This can prolong the recovery process and possibly limiting the final level of recovery.
Severe anxiety or a panic attack during a treatment session may cause the treatment session to end early without accomplishing the goal of care.
Research indicates that patients with anxiety do not recover as well from vestibular problems as those without anxiety.
Depression may prevent patients from taking their medications correctly or keeping their healthcare appointments.
People with depression are less likely to complete exercises and perform self-care at home as instructed.
Lack of Sleep
I have treated many patients with infants or teenagers who keep them awake at night. Disrupted sleep can definitely interfere with the recovery process.
One of my patients with three teenage boys stayed overnight at a hotel room for the weekend so she could get a solid sleep without interruption.
Some of my patients with an infant will arrange for nanny or family member to stay overnight after a treatment session to attend to the baby in the middle of the night.
People with insomnia do not usually recover as quickly as my other patients who sleep deeply after a treatment session.
Some people may take over-the-counter remedies or medications prescribed by their doctor to improve sleep.
Sleep is a key time for the brain to reset and re-calibrate after each treatment for vestibular rehabilitation.
If you are in VRT and you are not getting results, please check out my other blog on the Top Ten Barriers to Vestibular Recovery.
Disclaimer
This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The details of any case mentioned in this post represent a typical patient that I might see and do not describe the circumstances of a specific individual.
Just listening to Dr. Bell’s video on Dizziness and Vertigo is helping me to relax because now I think I have hope. Hope that I can be well again
Invaluable information! Thank you, Dr Bell
l have cerebellum ataxia. does vestibular therapy help with that?
Hi Madeline,
Yes, this Vestibular Researcher Dr. Courtney Hall, PT, PhD has published research that Vestibular Physical Therapy interventions can improve walking and balance in older adults even in the absence of a vestibular impairment.
With that said, you can find a Vestibular Physical Therapist using the provider directory at Vestibular.org.
If you have already tried that, you may want to also search the Provider Directory at NeuroPT.org and find someone with the credential “NCS.” That credential indicates a Neurological Clinical Specialist and they will be the most qualified provider to help you within the physical therapy profession.
I hope that helps!
Best wishes,
Kim Bell, DPT
I think you’ve answered my conundrum, thank you so much! I had a traumatic month of alcohol withdrawal followed by an ear infection and the resulting anxiety resulted in me developing PPPD instead of compensating which my young brain should have done! Tried doing exercises last week and they made me so I’ll with migrainous symptoms so I had to stop.
Dear Dr. Bell, I treat Insomnia as a Behavioral Sleep medicine specialist and of course we tend to discourage napping, but as you pointed out in your information “Sleep is a key time for the brain to reset and re-calibrate after each treatment for vestibular rehabilitation.”, so when my patients are in vestibular therapy I actually suggest that they nap after vestibular therapy session if they are sleepy. Many will be sleepy, fatigued, and mildy nauseated. So, to me, the nap can be critical for comfort, recovery from the intense effort and stress of the therapy, and may help with the vestibular therapy being effective, but the question is raised that naps usually result in poorer nighttime sleep- so I am wondering what you think from experience and the research, if any, on this.
Hi Dr. James,
I understand the dilemma that you are discussing and agree with your points.
Based on my experience, I have decided to instruct all of my patients to sit up for 20 minutes after we finish our treatment on a couch or chair with a pillow behind their head, keeping the head level and their trunk slightly reclined back about 15-20 degrees. I also often place pillows under each elbow, so their arms are supported as they rest.
I advise against any neurological input during that 20-minute rest period, so that means no auditory input or visual input. It is a “quiet rest” period with no neurological stimulation, so their brain can settle down after the vestibular treatment session.
During that 20-minute rest break, I also apply an ice pack to the back of their neck in accordance with a tip I received from my clinical mentor, to settle down any nausea or dizziness that has been provoked during the vestibular therapy session. I will usually set them up comfortably with a sweatshirt before they sit down and a blanket after they are positioned, so they don’t get too cold from the ice.
Then I advise them to “take the day off” after each treatment. We discuss that they need to clear their schedule for the rest of the day. That specifically means no cooking, no chores, no working, no computer time, no driving, and no other appointments afterwards. That way they can take a nap after the treatment if they need to; however, I do not advise them about napping either way. I only create the space in their schedule after each treatment, that will allow them to nap if they feel their body needs it.
Some people have been holding so much tension from their vertigo that they fall asleep on the couch right after I get them set up in the upright 20-minute resting position, before I even manage to gather my equipment to get out of their home! One of my patients even started snoring as I was walking out his front door.
I also discuss with the patients that they will not recover as quickly from the vestibular treatment if they do not get a good night’s sleep that night. Their vestibular hangover effect will last longer if they do not have a good sleep for their brain to reset. I use the analogy of holding down the power button on your computer to make a “hard reset,” when your computer is malfunctioning, and explain that their brain needs a deep sleep for a hard reset to recover from their vertigo.
If they historically are a “good sleeper,” then I encourage them to go to bed on time, not to stay up late, and carry on as usual with their good sleeping ability.
If they do not usually sleep well, we discuss strategies to improve their sleep hygiene. We may discuss some teas or supplements they like to take to help them sleep deeply that night.
For example, a good comedy movie or sit-com, or a chat with a funny friend, and a mug of chamomile tea might be just what the doctor ordered before bed.
Also, for people who have spent a lot of time in bed during the day due to vertigo, I implement a plan to create a “cozy nest” somewhere else in their house for them to rest in during the day. Their bed is then only used for sleeping.
The long term goal of the vestibular therapy is for them to be more active during the day, not needing so much time to rest or stay sedentary as their symptoms clear up.
I have many patients who no longer need to nap in the afternoon once their vertigo is cleared up, because their extreme fatigue has cleared up also.
I hope that information is helpful!
Thank you for all the excellent work that you are doing to help your patients! Well done.
Sincerely,
Kim Bell, DPT