Duke Physical and Occupational Therapy's Vestibular Rehabilitation Program, provided in conjunction with Duke Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, helps individuals with complaints of dizziness and unsteadiness resulting from inner ear problems.

Approximately 15 out of 1,000 individuals consult their family physicians each year with complaints of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance. In addition, half of the individuals over the age of 65 will develop positional vertigo.

Many of these individuals will have inner ear problems, which are not amenable to surgical treatment, and pharmacological treatment of these conditions with vestibular suppressants often retards the recovery process.

Recent studies have shown that these patients often benefit from rehabilitation exercises designed to enhance the central nervous system's adaptation process to inner ear dysfunction, increase the individual's postural stability, or relieve the specific symptoms.

Vestibular rehabilitation services focus on evaluation of the patient's functional abilities and assessment of positions or movements that provoke the patient's symptoms of dizziness and unsteadiness. Based on these findings, an appropriate therapy program is designed to minimize those symptoms, improve the patient's balance, and increase their functional capability.

Physical Therapy Services

Services include:

• Consultation to determine rehabilitation potential for complaints of dizziness and unsteadiness with a probable vestibular etiology
• Comprehensive examinations to establish baseline function and document change over time
• Development of a customized rehabilitation programs designed to ameliorate symptoms and restore function

Common diagnoses include:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Vestibular labyrinthitis and neuritis
• Meniere’s disease
• Acoustic neuroma
• Inner ear problems resulting from over-exposure to antibiotics
• Traumatic brain injury
• Stroke

Obtain a Referral

Physical therapy services require a referral and prescription from your primary care physician or specialist, depending on your insurance coverage.

If your insurance company requires precertification, that will need to be completed before an appointment is scheduled.

Make an Appointment

After a referral or authorization is completed, an appointment can be scheduled by calling 919-684-3834 or 800-385-3646, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Please specify that you are requesting an appointment to see a physical therapist for a vestibular rehabilitation program.

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Otolaryngology, Head and Neck, ENT
  Duke Clinic 1F, Yellow Zone, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, NC 27710