The Effectiveness of Vestibular Rehabilitation Including Virtual Reality Therapy in Balance Loss Due to Ménière...

We investigated the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation, including virtual reality therapy, in managing balance disorders associated with Ménière disease.

Fifty patients aged 18 to 65 years, with a definitive diagnosis of Ménière disease, were included in the study. In the case group, 25 patients underwent vestibular rehabilitation, including virtual reality therapy. The other 25 patients in the control group did not receive any rehabilitation treatment and were followed up with medication alone. Participants underwent the Romberg test, the Shapira Romberg test, the Unterberger test, pure tone audiometry, impedanceometry, static posturography, and videonystagmography. The dizziness disability inventory, Beck anxiety scale, and visual vertigo were also assessed. Analogue scale questionnaires were used to evaluate quality of life.

In the case group, statistically significant differences were noted in the total, physical, emotional, and functional sub-dimensions of the Dizziness Disability Inventory (DHI) regarding improvement between pretreatment and posttreatment ( P <0.05). Statistically significant improvements were found in the pretest and posttest scores of the Beck Anxiety and Visual Vertigo scales in the case group ( P <0.05). Significant differences were noted in rhythmic weight shifts, right/left and anterior/posterior axis speeds, and posttest scores, favoring the case group ( P <0.05). Statistically significant improvements were also observed in the posttest scores of the case group regarding balance error scores and tandem surface oscillation tests ( P <0.05).

The authors concluded that vestibular rehabilitation, including virtual reality therapy, effectively manages balance disorders associated with Ménière disease. The virtual reality environment alleviates dizziness and imbalance symptoms by facilitating patients' sensory adaptation.