RT Book, Section
A1 Heusel-Gillig, Lisa
A1 Hall, Courtney D.
A2 Herdman, Susan J.
A2 Clendaniel, Richard A.
SR Print(0)
ID 1135017377
T1 Physical Therapy Management of People with Non-vestibular Dizziness
T2 Vestibular Rehabilitation
YR 2014
FD 2014
PB F. A. Davis Company
PP New York, NY
SN 9780803639706
LK fadavispt.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1135017377
RD 2024/04/19
AB Dizziness  is  among  the  most  prevalent  complaints  for  which  people  seek  medical  help,  and  the  incidence  increases  with  advancing  age.1  Dizziness  represents  a  diagnostic  and  treatment  challenge,  because  it  is  a  subjective  sensation,  refers  to  a  variety  of  symptoms  (unsteadiness  or  imbalance,  spinning,  sense  of  motion,  or  lightheadedness),  and  has  many  potential  contributory  factors.  As  many  as  45%  of  individuals  with  dizziness  are  diagnosed  with  peripheral  vestibular  disorders;2  therefore,  the  majority  of  individuals  have  non-vestibular  causes  for  their  dizziness  and  imbalance.  Although  these  patients  have  similar  signs  and  symptoms  to  those  with  inner  ear  dysfunction,  vestibular  function  testing  does  not  reveal  vestibular  pathology.  It  is  essential  that  patients  with  non-vestibular  dizziness  and  imbalance  be  referred  to  specialists  in  vestibular  rehabilitation  to  achieve  optimal  outcomes.  Many  assessments  that  we  recommend,  including  a  thorough  oculomotor  exam  in  both  room  light  and  with  fixation  removed,  are  identical  to  those  used  to  evaluate  vestibular  patients.  Although  they  are  not  commonly  performed  in  inpatient  or  outpatient  settings,  they  provide  important  information  to  the  clinician.  There  is  considerable  evidence  that  vestibular  exercises  are  important  in  the  rehabilitation  of  patients  with  vestibular  pathology.3  There  is  also  evidence  that  vestibular  rehabilitation  is  beneficial  for  patients  with  non-vestibular  dizziness.4–11