Vestibular Rehabilitation Training

Enrico Rolla, Stefania Durando

Psychological problems and especially anxiety are a major contributing factor in all patients with
dizziness. This needs to be recognized and dealt with by the physical therapist for a good outcome.
Treatment usually simply requires patient education and reassurance by the referring physician
or therapist. Some patients will require medication or stress reducing programs. If a patient is
not progressing during physical therapy as expected, the therapist should consider a signifi cant
psychological problem. Cognitive-behavioral interventions reduce symptoms and improved the
quality of life for patients with vestibular disorders. Implications for the role of cognitive-behavioral
interventions in rehabilitation and primary care settings for somatizing patients with vestibular
disorders are discussed. It is advocated an increased interdisciplinary focus toward helping patients
with vestibular disorders.

Keywords
Vestibular disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy, rehabilitation, disability.

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