Symptoms of Vestibular Hypofunction
You may notice:
- Dizziness when turning your head
- Blurred or bouncing vision while walking
- Difficulty seeing clearly when moving
- Imbalance in the dark
- Difficulty walking on uneven surfaces
- Unsteadiness with quick turns
- Trouble walking while looking around
- Increased dependence on vision for balance
- Fatigue or difficulty concentrating during movement
Some people describe feeling fine while sitting still but dizzy as soon as they begin moving.
The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex
One important function of the vestibular system is keeping your vision stable while your head moves.
This is called the vestibulo-ocular reflex, or VOR.
When the vestibular system is not working normally, your eyes may have difficulty maintaining a stable image during head movement. This can produce blurred vision, dizziness or the sensation that the environment is bouncing.
How We Evaluate Vestibular Function
Your evaluation may include:
- Eye-movement testing
- Gaze-stability testing
- Dynamic visual acuity
- Head-movement testing
- Balance testing
- Walking assessment
- Sensory integration testing
- Positional testing when appropriate
We use the findings to determine which parts of your balance system need to be challenged.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Treatment may include:
- Gaze-stabilization exercises
- Head-movement training
- Balance exercises
- Walking with head movements
- Uneven-surface training
- Reduced-vision balance activities
- Habituation
- Strength and conditioning
- Progressive return to community activities
Exercises are progressed as your brain becomes better at compensating.
Don't Settle for “Just Give It Time”
Recovery after a vestibular injury involves the brain learning to use the information available to it more effectively.
The right exercises can help drive that process.
