What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation is a specialized form of physical therapy designed to help people who experience dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, or motion sensitivity. These symptoms are often caused by issues in the inner ear or how the brain processes signals about balance and movement.

At 3PT, vestibular rehab focuses on retraining your brain and body to work together, so you can feel steady, confident, and safe in your daily life.

Who Can Benefit from Vestibular Rehab?

Vestibular therapy can be life-changing for people who experience:

Vertigo or spinning sensations (often from BPPV – benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Balance problems or unsteadiness
Motion sensitivity (trouble riding in cars, elevators, or busy environments)
Post-concussion symptoms
Falls or fear of falling

How Vestibular Rehabilitation Helps

Reduces dizziness & vertigo through specific repositioning techniques (like the Epley maneuver for BPPV).
Improves balance & coordination with targeted exercises to retrain the vestibular system.
Restores confidence by helping you move without fear of dizziness or falling.
Decreases motion sensitivity so you can tolerate daily activities like driving, walking in crowds, or exercising.

What to Expect at 3PT

Comprehensive Evaluation – We review your symptoms, medical history, and perform tests of balance, eye movement, and inner ear function.
Individualized Treatment – Depending on your needs, this may include repositioning maneuvers, balance training, eye movement exercises, or gait training.
Home Program – Simple exercises to reinforce progress and retrain your vestibular system daily.
Steady Progress – Many patients feel relief after just a few sessions, though complex cases may take longer.

What the Research Says

Vestibular rehabilitation is the first-line treatment for BPPV and can resolve symptoms in a single session (Neurology, 2017).
Studies show improved balance and reduced dizziness in patients with vestibular disorders compared to usual care (Cochrane Review, 2015).
Vestibular therapy significantly improves quality of life and reduces fall risk in older adults (Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 2018).

Common Questions

Is vestibular rehab the same as general balance training?
Not exactly. While balance is a key part, vestibular rehab also retrains how your eyes, inner ear, and body work together.

Does treatment make dizziness worse?
Some exercises may briefly trigger symptoms as part of retraining, but this is normal and improves with practice.