Labyrinth Physical Therapy & Wellness

Symptoms may include:

• Recurrent episodes of spinning vertigo
• Fluctuating hearing loss
• Ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ear
• Pressure or fullness in the ear
• Nausea or vomiting during vertigo attacks
• Imbalance or unsteadiness
• Difficulty walking in the dark or on uneven surfaces
• Dizziness with head movement
• Motion sensitivity
• Reduced confidence with walking or activity

Symptoms often occur in episodes, with periods of improvement between attacks.

The inner ear contains both the organs responsible for hearing and the vestibular system responsible for detecting head movement and helping maintain balance.

Ménière’s disease can disrupt these systems, which is why both hearing and balance symptoms may occur.

Over time, some individuals develop reduced vestibular function in the affected ear. The brain then has to learn how to compensate for the change in information coming from the inner ear.

There is no single physical therapy test that diagnoses Ménière’s disease.

Because hearing changes are an important part of the condition, evaluation by an ENT and audiologist is typically an important part of diagnosis and medical management.

If you are experiencing new hearing loss, tinnitus, pressure in one ear or recurrent episodes of vertigo, we may recommend additional medical or audiologic evaluation if you have not already had one.

Vestibular physical therapy generally does not stop the acute attacks of Ménière’s disease.

Instead, rehabilitation can be particularly helpful when you continue to experience:

• Imbalance between attacks
• Difficulty walking in the dark
• Dizziness with head movement
• Motion sensitivity
• Reduced gaze stability
• Difficulty walking on uneven surfaces
• Reduced activity because of fear of dizziness or falling

The goal is to help your brain use the available vestibular, visual and sensory information more effectively.

Your evaluation may include:

• Detailed review of your vertigo and dizziness symptoms
• Eye-movement assessment
• Gaze-stability testing
• Dynamic visual acuity
• Balance testing
• Sensory integration testing
• Walking assessment
• Head-movement testing
• Positional testing for BPPV when indicated

This is important because having Ménière’s disease does not mean that every episode of dizziness is necessarily caused by Ménière’s.

People can also develop conditions such as BPPV, vestibular migraine or vestibular hypofunction, which may require different treatment.

When appropriate, treatment may include:

• Gaze-stabilization exercises
• Balance training
• Walking with head movement
• Uneven-surface training
• Reduced-vision balance exercises
• Habituation to movement
• Strength and conditioning
• Fall-prevention strategies
• Progressive return to normal activities

Treatment is individualized based on what we find during your evaluation.

Medical treatment of Ménière’s disease may involve an ENT or other physician and can include strategies aimed at reducing the frequency or severity of vertigo attacks.

Audiology may also be important for monitoring hearing changes.

Vestibular rehabilitation complements that care by addressing the functional effects of dizziness and balance loss.

Even when vertigo episodes cannot be completely predicted, you can work on improving how well your balance system functions between them.

Our goal is to help you move more confidently, maintain your activity level and reduce the impact that dizziness and imbalance have on your daily life.

Several vestibular disorders can cause similar symptoms, and it is possible to have more than one condition at the same time.

A specialized vestibular evaluation can help determine what is contributing to your current dizziness and balance problems and whether additional evaluation by an ENT, audiologist or another medical provider is recommended.