Impaired balance and unsteadiness can be very discouraging. In such a situation, one may feel disoriented, have unclear vision, find it difficult to walk steadily, have a feeling that the room is spinning, etc. A person suffering from such a problem may not be able to lead an independent life.

Treatment for this condition begins first with a thorough evaluation by a physical therapist, beginning with medical history, and including observing and measuring posture, balance and gait, and compensatory strategies. The assessment may also include eye/head coordination tests that measure how well a person’s eyes track a moving object with or without head movement.

Using the evaluation results, the therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan that includes specific, head, body and eye exercises to be performed in the therapy setting and at home. These exercises are designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system and coordinate them with information from the eyes, joints and muscles. This often involves desensitizing the balance system to movements that provoke the vestibular system, increasing home based activities and exercises as tolerated, in an effort to strengthen muscles.