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    How Exercises help to Treat Vertigo and Dizziness?

    A person suffering from vertigo has dizziness, instability and an increased risk of falls. It is important to find out the underlying condition causing vertigo to be able to understand how to treat it.

    Balance and equilibrium of the body are controlled by the central nervous system depending on inputs from 3 areas – the eyes (visual), the inner ear (vestibular) and the joints and muscles (proprioceptive). If there is a disorder affecting any of these areas, the brain needs to reweigh the sensory inputs to make the body stable. This is called Central Compensation. Vestibular rehabilitation is aimed at promoting central compensation. It is important to start vertigo exercises as soon as possible to get the best and lasting results of treatment.

    Vestibular evaluation for vertigo test and diagnosis will allow your doctor to understand which system/systems are affected leading to vertigo. The systems which need to be evaluated include:

    Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR)

    This is a very quick reflex which enables images to be kept stable on the fovea of the retina during head movement. If this reflex is weak, the person will have blurred vision or instability during head movement.

    Vestibulospinal Reflex (VSR)

    This reflex helps in keeping the body stable during movement. Problems with this reflex will make the person unsteady especially on standing and walking.

    Otolith System

    This system controls the linear acceleration of the body which stables the body in 3 dimensions – the yaw, pitch and roll. Defects in the otolith system lead to a feeling of constant instability or being pushed.

    Central Programming

    Different parts of the brain are involved in integrating the sensory information received from the periphery. Cognitive function is also very important. Any disorder of central programming will make the patient and more prone to falls.

    According to site of weakness, age, any associated disorders like back or knee pain, the vestibular rehabilitation exercises (dizziness and vertigo treatment exercises) are planned.

    For VOR disorders – gaze stabilization, tracking and vertigo exercises aimed at the movement of head and neck are prescribed.

    An example is given below –

    Step 1 – Look at a distant object.

    Step 2 – Move your head side to side keeping your gaze stable on the object.

    Step 3 – Move your head up and down keeping your eyes on the object.

    For VSR disorders, exercises are aimed at the lower body and promote maintaining balance in challenging situations. Activities are aimed at promoting different ankle, knee and hip strategies to balance on irregular surfaces

    An example is given below –
    Step 1 – Stand with your feet together

    Step 2 – Take a step forward keeping the feet about 25cm apart.

    Step 3 – Take a step backwards keeping feet together again.

    Exercises for vertigo which are prescribed usually start as low intensity, slow exercises which are steadily increased in speed and complexity. Repeating the same exercises for long durations will not help promote recovery as the vestibular system will get used to the same repeated activity. Compensation requires the system to be challenged to have a greater impact.

    Always do exercises under supervision or in the presence of another person who can help you in the unlikely event of a fall.

    According to the severity of symptoms, Vestibular rehabilitation is given as home exercise or in the clinic under the supervision of a therapist. The therapists at NeuroEquilibrium’s Advanced Vertigo and Balance Clinics give rehabilitation through highly sophisticated equipment that enables them to monitor the results and modify exercises according to the progress of the patient.

    Check for an appointment and rehabilitation therapy here.

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    anita bhandari

    Dr. Anita Bhandari

    Dr.Anita Bhandari is MS(ENT) and a consultant Neurotologist practising in Jaipur, India. She has done a fellowship in Otology and Neurotology from Singapore. She has set up a state-of-art Vertigo and Ear Clinic in Jaipur (www.vertigoandearclinic.com) which is amongst the most advanced vertigo clinics in India. Dr. Bhandari is actively involved in the development of diagnostic equipment in the field of diagnosis and rehabilitation of vertigo and balance disorders. She has contributed to the development of Computerised Dynamic Visual Acuity, Cranio-Corpography, Subjective Visual Vertical, Video Nystagmography and Posturography diagnostic equipment and has two in this field. She has also been involved in the development of Virtual reality for vestibular rehabilitation. She is Scientific advisor to NeuroEquilibrium, a unique project to set up 500 super-specialised vertigo and dizziness clinics in India, Asia & Africa leveraging cloud technology. She has authored chapters on ‘Vestibular Physiology’, ‘Dynamic Visual Acuity’, ‘Surgical treatment of vertigo’, ‘Difficult cases in vertigo’ in various Neurotology textbooks. She is an invited speaker in various Vertigo & Neurotology conferences across the world. Dr.Anita Bhandari is MS(ENT) and a consultant Neurotologist practising in Jaipur, India. She has done a fellowship in Otology and Neurotology from Singapore. She has set up a state-of-art Vertigo and Ear Clinic in Jaipur (www.vertigoandearclinic.com) which is amongst the most advanced vertigo clinics in India. Dr. Bhandari is actively involved in the development of diagnostic equipment in the field of diagnosis and rehabilitation of vertigo and balance disorders. She has contributed to the development of Computerised Dynamic Visual Acuity, Cranio-Corpography, Subjective Visual Vertical, Video Nystagmography and Posturography diagnostic equipment and has two in this field. She has also been involved in the development of Virtual reality for vestibular rehabilitation. She is Scientific advisor to NeuroEquilibrium, a unique project to set up 500 super-specialised vertigo and dizziness clinics in India, Asia & Africa leveraging cloud technology. She has authored chapters on ‘Vestibular Physiology’, ‘Dynamic Visual Acuity’, ‘Surgical treatment of vertigo’, ‘Difficult cases in vertigo’ in various Neurotology textbooks. She is an invited speaker in various Vertigo & Neurotology conferences across the world.

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