Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy at Baylor Medicine
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy at the balance disorder center is provided by Shireen Azeemuddin, PT, DPT. The patient will be evaluated for tailored exercises and/or therapy maneuvers for a specific inner ear disorder. Rehabilitation may require one or more visits from the patient.
What Is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
- A non-invasive approach for patients with vestibular and balance disorders
- A systematic, individually designed regimen of exercises and activities that address the unique needs of individual patients
What Are the Justifications for Referral?
- Positional vertigo
- Persistent vertigo
- History of falls
- Motion sensitivity
- Headache, stiff neck
- Visual motion disturbances
- Blurred vision
- Agoraphobia (fear of open spaces)
- Poor balance
What Are the Goals of Therapy?
- Decrease frequency, intensity, and duration of vertigo
- Decrease related symptoms such as headache, nausea, and lightheadedness
- Improve balance
- Increase independence in daily life
- Develop compensatory strategies for coping with dizziness, disequilibrium, and anxiety
What Are Typical Diagnoses?
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis
- Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction
- Vestibular Migraine
- Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness
- Mal de Debarquement Syndrome
- Cervicogenic Dizziness
- Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS)
- Meniere’s Disease
- Neurological Conditions (e.g., stroke, traumaticbrain injury)
- Vestibular Deconditioning (due to aging orinactivity)
- Frequent Falls
- Vision Issues (e.g., double vision, shaky visionwith head movement, difficulty focusing, poortolerance to screens)
What Does the Evaluation Assess?
- Level of vertigo or other dizziness
- Motions that stimulate vertigo
- Functional balance
- Mobility skills
- Musculoskeletal function
- Independence in basic self-care skills and other daily life tasks
What Kind of Rehabilitation Is Done?
- Exercises and activities to decrease vertigo
- Repositioning maneuvers and exercises for positional vertigo
- Balance retraining
- Counseling for safety equipment
- Safety training and other mobility skills
- Training in activities of daily living
How Do I Get a Referral?
- Must have a written prescription for physical therapy from a physician
- Physician should indicate diagnosis
- Center for Balance Disorders hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Phone: (713) 798-6336
- Fax: (713) 798-8658