Vestibular rehabilitation reduces functional disability.

Vertigo caused by vestibular disorder may be successfully treated with a physical therapy program of graded exercises to habituate the patient to the vertiginous stimulus and to increase the range of motion through which the patient can tolerate moving. Performance on daily self-care tasks is an important indicator of the patient's tolerance for head movement and the success of treatment. In this study, self-care skill in subjects with labyrinthine and brainstem lesions before and after receiving vestibular rehabilitation was examined. Subjects improved significantly after physical therapy, demonstrating greater independence in their abilities to care for themselves. These data provide further support for the value of vestibular rehabilitation procedures.