Is vestibular rehabilitation as effective in bilateral vestibular dysfunction as in unilateral vestibular...

Bilateral vestibular dysfunction causes serious disabilities and handicaps. Patients with bilateral dysfunction often restrict their activities and tend to be unsocial.

To compare the effects of vestibular rehabilitation on disability, balance, and postural stability in patients with unilateral and bilateral vestibular dysfunction.

Retrospective study.

Outpatient rehabilitation center.

Patients with unilateral (group 1, N.=42) and bilateral vestibular dysfunction (group 2, N.=19).

All patients were evaluated before and after eight weeks of customized vestibular rehabilitation for disability (Dizziness Handicap Inventory [DHI], Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale [ABC]), dynamic balance (Timed Up and Go Test [TUG], Dynamic Gait Index [DGI]), and postural stability (static posturography).

The differences between DHI, TUG, DGI, and falling index (as assessed by static posturography) scores before and after the exercise program were statistically significant in both groups (P<0.05). There were no significant intergroup differences in any of the parameters evaluated (P>0.05).

In this study, vestibular rehabilitation was found to be equally effective in unilateral and bilateral vestibular dysfunction patients for improving disability, dynamic balance, and postural stability.

Patients with bilateral dysfunction, causing more disability and greater handicap may indeed regain their functions as in patients with unilateral vestibular dysfunction by receiving appropriate and adequate vestibular rehabilitation.