DISCLAIMER: This is an educational site for patients, caregivers, and medical providers. This information was accurate as of the date presented. Consult local medical authority or your healthcare provider for specific advice and referrals.
What Is Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) and How Can It Help Treat Vestibular Migraines (VM)?
Vestibular Rehabilitation, or VR, is a type of therapy performed by specialized physical therapists or occupational therapists. VR is the specific type of therapy that research has found can help heal Vestibular Migraines (VM). Studies show that VR is most effective when combined with your medical provider’s migraine management (e.g., medication).
How Can Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) Help My Vestibular Migraines?
VR for VM involves working together with your therapist and medical provider to help lessen severity and frequency of your migraine events and retrain and heal from your migraine events. VR can help you lessen dizziness by providing exercises that are designed to do the following:
- Lessen severity and/or frequency of migraine events
- Lessen sensitivity to your own movement
- Lessen sensitivity to movement around you (visual motion sensitivity)
- Improve your balance capacity and confidence
- Improve your endurance/fitness
- Improve your capacity to better control and manage your symptoms
- Provide structure to return to activities that you did previously
What Type of Treatment Techniques Will VR Use to Help Lessen My Dizziness?
- Education (VM diagnosis, VM treatment rationale, VM healing potential)
- Habituation or repetitive, gentle exposures to self-motion or movement
- Systematic desensitization or repetitive, gentle exposure to visual complexity
- Balance retraining to recover more efficient and confident balance responses
- Aerobic conditioning (e.g., walking, riding bike, etc.)
- Symptom management strategy development
- Relaxation training
- Wellness (e.g., sleep, pacing, etc.)
Additional Handouts for Patients and Providers
- Guide to Chronic Dizziness
- Chronic Dizziness and Vestibular Testing
- Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (3PD)
- Treating Chronic Dizziness (3PD) with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Vestibular Rehabilitation for Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (3PD)
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