The efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular dysfunction

ObjectivesVestibular rehabilitation leads to a gradual diminution of the subjective and objective symptoms that accompany the vestibular disorders. The aim of the study was to compare the impact of 2 different types of vestibular rehabilitation on vestibular compensation in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular dysfunction.Material and MethodsThe study was conducted on a group of 58 subjects (43 females and 15 males) aged 40–64 years, who presented with chronic unilateral vestibular dysfunction and were hospitalized. The patients were randomly assigned to either of the 2 groups established. The study was conducted in a 6-week period. Group 1 consisted of patients who underwent customized group vestibular rehabilitation in an outpatient setting. The program was performed once a week for 1 h 30 min, under the supervision of a physiotherapist and a physiatrist. Group 2 was instructed to perform Cawthorne–Cooksey exercises and simple balance exercises twice a day for 15 min.ResultsAn improvement in the outcomes of the Dynamic Gait Index as well as the Berg Balance Scale was statistically significant for group 1. The time for fulfilling the task in the Timed Up and Go Test improved in both groups (p < 0.05). The subjective estimation of the symptoms evaluated with the use of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and the Visual Analogue Scale revealed a statistically significant improvement in both groups, yet it was higher in group 1.ConclusionsThe compensation achieved after 6 weeks of the customized, supervised outpatient rehabilitation program in group 1 was superior to the results of the home-based unsupervised Cawthorne–Cooksey and balance exercises.