VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION

The accurate diagnosis and assessment of a patient is critical for a successful individualized rehabilitation program.  The diagnosis and assessment include quantifying the degree of damage to peripheral vestibular structures and central vestibular pathways and evaluating the level of physiologic and neurolgic compensation that may have already occurred.   Trinity Hearing & Balance Center offers vestibular rehabilitation therapy for patients that have been diagnosed with a vestibular deficit.   Vestibular rehabilitation is typically designed as a therapist-directed patient-motivated home-based exercise protocol.  Vestibular rehabilitation exercises typically begin at the minimal skill level that the patient is capable of performing and the compexity is increased as compensation and habituation occur.  Generally, home vestibular therapy is performed at home for approximately one month.  When home vestibular therapy is not indicated, patients will be referred out to physical therapy.  Trinity Hearing & Balance Center works closely with several physical therapists in the area who have special training and certification in treating vestibular disorders and vestibular rehabilitation.


BPPV TREATMENT PROTOCOL consists of repositioning otoconia utilizing Videonystagmography technologies.  This increases the accuracy of the repositioning, and allows Dr. Hansen to see residual otoconia for patients that have a multi-canal involvement which may have gone unnoticed using only the naked eye.  Once BPPV is diagnosed, an appointment is scheduled for the repositioning of the otoconia.  A follow up appointment is then scheduled in one week to reposition any additional residual otoconia. or for multiple canal patients.



Dr. Hansen demonstrating
the canalith repositioning maneuver