Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular Rehabilitation

The vestibular apparatus is located in your inner ear. This system senses changes in position and acceleration of your head in relation to your body. Injury to this system whether through trauma or inflammation, can result in symptoms of dizziness, imbalance, and spinning.
The Vestibular System has two primary functions:

  • Stabilize vision while the head moves, through the inner ear and the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR).
  • Create postural response and balance control through the Vestibulo-Spinal Reflex (VSR).
Dysfunction in the vestibular apparatus itself, or in these reflex circuits can lead to feelings of dizziness, imbalance, headaches, nausea, visual sensitivity, and motion sickness.
Peak Performance Physical Therapists can help distinguish where your deficit is, and develop an individualized treatment plan to help improve your symptoms.

Video Oculography Testing

Video Oculography Testing utilizates goggles that can assess your vestibular ocular functioning and distinguish findings that wouldn't be visible to the naked eye. Your physical therapist may utilize these goggles with vision allowed or may use them to put you into total darkness, depending on what they are looking for.

Peak Performance physical therapists use Frenzel Goggles for a more thorough assessment of vestibular impairments. The goggles allow your therapist to view your eyes in a close up view with video recording. Your eye movement can offer a multitude of information about your vestibular functioning. Physical therapists are trained to look for nystagmus, impaired oculomotor function, and signs that may indicate other pathology.