The term “vestibular rehabilitation” is used to describe the treatment to help improve one’s ability to get up from a sitting or lying position, and to move around. This is exactly why someone who has a loss in their ability to walk can use this type of therapy to help improve their abilities.
What is vestibular rehabilitation?
This therapy refers to the use of corrective mechanisms to help patients overcome problems related to the way they move when they’re lying down. If you think about it, almost all of us experience some sort of movement while we’re sleeping. We move our arms and legs, or even our heads. And we tend to get up from a seat, almost comfy position to walk around, sit down at a desk, or even read from a book.
Your physical therapist will be able to tell you what type of exercises will suit your particular injury. In most cases, vestibular rehabilitation therapy is best started after the use of an ophthalmologist has ruled out any serious eye problems.
Initial treatment may also include the use of a neck brace to relieve pressure on the affected area. This is done either during or after a normal physical therapist session. Anti-inflammatory medications will also be prescribed to reduce swelling and improve circulation to the area.
As a result of the many improvements that have been made in rehabilitation therapy, many people find that their symptoms improve considerably. The results are normally quite dramatic especially in cases where the injury is caused by extreme angles of the spine. However, you should be aware that rehabilitation therapy is not a cure for your particular injury. It will simply enable you to function much better and to return to your daily activities as quickly as possible.
In order to improve your results, it is very important that you adhere strictly to the guidelines set by your therapist. You must stick to the program and not deviate from it. If you are found to be straying from the program, your treatment will be compromised.
If you do deviate from the guidelines, you may suffer some setbacks. For instance, if your program calls for a total of fourteen days in bed, and you start using steroids, then you may suffer from severe pain resulting from disrupted sleep. As you can see, vestibular rehabilitation therapy is only effective if it is followed to the letter.
It’s important to note that what is vestibular rehabilitation isn’t the same thing as occupational therapy or physical therapy. Oftentimes, these are mistakenly lumped together as though they’re one and the same. Occupational therapists can treat conditions like coordination issues, which may require the use of corrective devices such as wheelchairs. But this kind of treatment requires the use of what is called an inversion table, which is basically a fancy name for a chair that’s used in inverted positions.