Vestibular Conditions - Dizziness and Balance Problems

Vestibular Conditions after Traumatic Brain Injury

Up to 50% of people with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience vestibular impairments

The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. Dizziness, imbalance and visual disturbances are common.

Trauma to the brain can result in abnormal vestibular system functioning, and the brain can receive abnormal signals regarding the position and movement of the head in space.

This system is complex, but it can be simplified into three components

• The sensory organ
• A brain injury can often cause damage to one or more of the parts that make up the vestibular system.
• in some cases, the calcium deposits shift into the wrong place and cause the brain to receive inaccurate information about where the body is in space, resulting in vertigo when someone moves (BPPV)
• The nerve that connects the sensory organ to the brain
• A brain injury may also cause dysfunction of the nerve that connects the sensory apparatus to the brain by direct trauma or swelling in this area. The two nerves, one on each side, work like a seesaw. When the left side turns on (“goes up”), the right turns off (“goes down”). The seesaw relationship is particularly important when turning the head and trying to keep the eyes focused on an object, such as reading a sign while walking or driving. If one of the nerves is not working, the other side will often become overactive causing imbalance, a feeling of unsteadiness, or dizziness
• The area of the brain that processes information from the vestibular system
• a brain injury can cause damage to the areas of the brain that directly process all the information from the other components of the system, which can manifest as continuous dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision, difficulty reading, and poor balance.

Vestibular assessment - what is included?

  ·      Comprehensive multifactorial face to face assessment

·       Videonystagmography assessment for positional vertigo if indicated

·       Neuroflex ocular motor function assessment if indicated

·       Multifactorial objective balance assessment

·       Patient reported outcome measures

·       Comprehensive report with rehab recommendations and costs

·     

Where can you get treatment?

Treatment is provided at the client's own home