Vestibular, Dizziness and Balance Recovery
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Educating yourself about your vestibular disorder can help you better manage symptoms and communicate more effectively with family, friends, and health professionals. VEDA produces free publications that are written or reviewed by vestibular disorder professionals spanning a wide range of subjects. Following is a list of VEDA's most popular short publications, which can be printed out for personal or individual use.
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Download VEDA handouts
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ABOUT BALANCE, DIZZINESS, AND VESTIBULAR DISORDERS
The Human Balance System: A Complex Coordination of Central and Peripheral Systems
How the balance system uses sensory input from the eyes, muscles and joints, and inner ear to maintain balance and stable vision.
Causes of Dizziness
Vertigo, dizziness, and disequilibrium are defined; common causes are explained.
Vestibular Disorders: An Overview
Describes the function of the vestibular system and symptoms and causes of damage to it; defines specific types of vestibular disorders; and reviews common diagnostic tests and treatments.
Vestibular Injury: Compensation, Decompensation, and Failure to Compensate
An explanation of how the balance system recovers from injury through the compensation process; acute (immediate) and chronic (long-term) compensation; causes of decompensation and failure to compensate; use of medication and vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
How Do I Know If I Have a Balance Disorder?
Describes the difference between dizziness, vertigo, and disequilibrium. Suggests questions a person might ask to help him or her decide whether to seek medical help for a balance problem or dizzy spell.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnostic Tests for Vestibular Problems
Descriptions and explanations of the purpose of various tests, including ENG (electro- videonystagmography), rotation tests, computerized dynamic posturography (CDP), audiometry, and scans (MRI, CT).
Trouble Getting a Diagnosis?
A list of reasons why many people with dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo have trouble obtaining a diagnosis, along with suggestions for speeding up the diagnostic process.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy—An Effective, Evidence-Based Treatment
Describes the specialized form of exercise-based physical therapy designed to alleviate both primary and secondary symptoms of vestibular disorders. Includes descriptions of assessments of vision and eye movements, balance and gait, vertigo, and the musculoskeletal system; vestibular habituation, and balance retraining exercises. Dietary Considerations with Endolymphatic Hydrops, Ménière’s Disease, and Vestibular Migraine Dietary strategies for regulating inner-ear fluid balances; tips for reducing salt and sugar intake; examples of dietary migraine triggers, and a tip sheet for dining out.
Surgery for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders
Descriptions of surgical procedures used to repair or stabilize vestibular organs damaged by disease or injury. Procedures discussed include vestibular neurectomy, labyrinthectomy, transtympanic or intratympanic gentamicin treatment, endolymphatic sac decompression, oval or round window plugging, canal partitioning, PE tubes, and stapedectomy.
SPECIFIC VESTIBULAR DISORDER DIAGNOSES
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Discusses the cause of dizziness and vertigo symptoms resulting from positional changes, symptoms, causes, assessment, and treatment.
Vestibular Neuritis and Labyrinthitis: Infections of the Inner Ear
Viral versus bacterial infections of the inner ear; onset and symptoms; testing; treatment during the acute and chronic phases, including medication and vestibular rehabilitation exercises.
Ménière’s Disease
Describes the recurring set of symptoms resulting from abnormally large amounts of a fluid called endolymph collecting in the inner ear. Discussion includes symptoms, stages, diagnosis, treatment, and coping.
Balance and Aging
Good balance requires reliable sensory input from the individual’s vision, vestibular system and proprioceptors. With age, a variety of diseases can affect these systems. Discusses how a tendency to fall and have symptoms of dizziness should not be dismissed as unavoidable consequences of aging but may be important signs of a disease that might be cured or controlled.
Pediatric Vestibular Disorders
Vestibular disorders in children are generally considered uncommon. A vestibular system that is damaged by disease or injury in childhood can slow development of equilibrium and protective reflexes and motor-control tasks such as sitting unsupported, standing and walking.
Perilymph Fistula
A perilymph fistula is a tear or defect in one of the small, thin membranes that separate the middle ear from the fluid-filled inner ear. When a fistula is present, changes in middle ear pressure will directly affect the inner ear, stimulating the balance and/or hearing structures and causing symptoms.
Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops
Describes symptoms of secondary endolymphatic hydrops, treatment with a diet regimen, and other quality of life issues.
Migraine-Associated Vertigo (MAV)
Migraine is now understood to be a vascular and neural process that can occur with or without pain. Migraine and vestibular dysfunction are discussed, including the recognition of migraine syndromes, evaluation and testing, vestibular test results commonly observed in migraine-related dizziness patients, treatment, and migraine triggers.
Ototoxicity
Discusses ototoxicity (ear poisoning) due to drugs or chemicals that damage the inner ear or vestibulo-cochlear nerve, which sends balance and hearing information from the inner ear to the brain.
Superior Canal Dehiscence: A Cause of Hearing and Balance Problems
Describes the vestibular and auditory symptoms and signs that can result from an opening (dehiscence) in the bone overlying the superior semicircular canal. Also discusses causes and diagnosis and treatment options.
Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome (EVAS)
Discusses the causes and prevalence of enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome (EVAS) and the hearing and vestibular symptoms associated with it, including information about clinical evaluation and treatment considerations.
VISION AND HEARING CHALLENGES WITH VESTIBULAR DISORDERS
Vision Challenges with Vestibular Disorders
Explains the link between the vestibular system and vision, describing the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in detail with information on evaluation, treatment, and coping strategies. Details the special considerations required for vision correction, including glasses and contact lenses.
Visual Preference and Vestibular Deficiency
A "Clinical Observations" column of VEDA's member newsletter, "On the Level." Discusses visual preference developed resulting from vestibular dysfunction, and provides suggestions for treating it.
Tinnitus—Ringing in the Ears: An Overview
Questions and answers about tinnitus, including terminology, causes and related factors, diagnosis and treatment options, and tips for prevention and reducing its severity.
Cochlear Hyperacusis and Vestibular Hyperacusis
Explains sound sensitivity, discusses symptoms that can include pain, dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and others; causes; testing; and treatment options.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VESTIBULAR DISORDERS AND COPING STRATEGIES
Observations on Cognitive and Psychological Aspects of Vestibular Disorders
Includes comments from a social worker, an otolaryngologist, and a neuropsychologist during interviews by VEDA on how vestibular disorders affect cognitive and psychological or emotional functioning. Interviewees: Carolyn Bennett, ACSW; Alexander Schleuning II, MD; and Mark Tilson, PhD.
“It’s All in Your Head”: Addressing Vestibular Patients’ Stressors and Self Doubts
Identifies the issues associated with the subtle erosion of self-esteem often experienced by vestibular patients.
Coping with a Vestibular Disorder
This publication contains to articles: 1) "Coping with a Chronic Vestibular Disorder and Other Invisible Illnesses" by Molly-Jane Isaacson Rubinger, MSW, LICSW, and 2) Learning to Cope with Vestibular Disorders: Tips Offered by VEDA and support group leaders to the person who is new to vestibular disorders.
Fatigue, Stress and Responsibilities
This publication explains how one can learn to cope with the fatigue (and contributors to fatigue, including stress and pain) that often accompanies their chronic illness and offers strategies to manage stress.
OTHER
Vestibular Disease in Dogs and Cats
Explains the signs of vestibular dysfunction in pets. Includes causes, prognosis, and treatments, including what owners can do to help their pets. Also includes a picture and link to one beloved dog's story.
VEDA Members Ask About Research
Addresses questions about why research takes so long, describes the scientific method, provides information about helping research by becoming a research subject.
Improving Balance with Tai Chi
Discusses the benefits of using Tai Chi - a martial art characterized by gracefully flowing movements and postures - to improve balance.
Hormones and Vestibular Disorders
Explores some of the possible effects of hormones on inner ear disorders in women.
Content courtesy of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA).
The Human Balance System: A Complex Coordination of Central and Peripheral Systems
How the balance system uses sensory input from the eyes, muscles and joints, and inner ear to maintain balance and stable vision.
Causes of Dizziness
Vertigo, dizziness, and disequilibrium are defined; common causes are explained.
Vestibular Disorders: An Overview
Describes the function of the vestibular system and symptoms and causes of damage to it; defines specific types of vestibular disorders; and reviews common diagnostic tests and treatments.
Vestibular Injury: Compensation, Decompensation, and Failure to Compensate
An explanation of how the balance system recovers from injury through the compensation process; acute (immediate) and chronic (long-term) compensation; causes of decompensation and failure to compensate; use of medication and vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
How Do I Know If I Have a Balance Disorder?
Describes the difference between dizziness, vertigo, and disequilibrium. Suggests questions a person might ask to help him or her decide whether to seek medical help for a balance problem or dizzy spell.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnostic Tests for Vestibular Problems
Descriptions and explanations of the purpose of various tests, including ENG (electro- videonystagmography), rotation tests, computerized dynamic posturography (CDP), audiometry, and scans (MRI, CT).
Trouble Getting a Diagnosis?
A list of reasons why many people with dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo have trouble obtaining a diagnosis, along with suggestions for speeding up the diagnostic process.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy—An Effective, Evidence-Based Treatment
Describes the specialized form of exercise-based physical therapy designed to alleviate both primary and secondary symptoms of vestibular disorders. Includes descriptions of assessments of vision and eye movements, balance and gait, vertigo, and the musculoskeletal system; vestibular habituation, and balance retraining exercises. Dietary Considerations with Endolymphatic Hydrops, Ménière’s Disease, and Vestibular Migraine Dietary strategies for regulating inner-ear fluid balances; tips for reducing salt and sugar intake; examples of dietary migraine triggers, and a tip sheet for dining out.
Surgery for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders
Descriptions of surgical procedures used to repair or stabilize vestibular organs damaged by disease or injury. Procedures discussed include vestibular neurectomy, labyrinthectomy, transtympanic or intratympanic gentamicin treatment, endolymphatic sac decompression, oval or round window plugging, canal partitioning, PE tubes, and stapedectomy.
SPECIFIC VESTIBULAR DISORDER DIAGNOSES
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Discusses the cause of dizziness and vertigo symptoms resulting from positional changes, symptoms, causes, assessment, and treatment.
Vestibular Neuritis and Labyrinthitis: Infections of the Inner Ear
Viral versus bacterial infections of the inner ear; onset and symptoms; testing; treatment during the acute and chronic phases, including medication and vestibular rehabilitation exercises.
Ménière’s Disease
Describes the recurring set of symptoms resulting from abnormally large amounts of a fluid called endolymph collecting in the inner ear. Discussion includes symptoms, stages, diagnosis, treatment, and coping.
Balance and Aging
Good balance requires reliable sensory input from the individual’s vision, vestibular system and proprioceptors. With age, a variety of diseases can affect these systems. Discusses how a tendency to fall and have symptoms of dizziness should not be dismissed as unavoidable consequences of aging but may be important signs of a disease that might be cured or controlled.
Pediatric Vestibular Disorders
Vestibular disorders in children are generally considered uncommon. A vestibular system that is damaged by disease or injury in childhood can slow development of equilibrium and protective reflexes and motor-control tasks such as sitting unsupported, standing and walking.
Perilymph Fistula
A perilymph fistula is a tear or defect in one of the small, thin membranes that separate the middle ear from the fluid-filled inner ear. When a fistula is present, changes in middle ear pressure will directly affect the inner ear, stimulating the balance and/or hearing structures and causing symptoms.
Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops
Describes symptoms of secondary endolymphatic hydrops, treatment with a diet regimen, and other quality of life issues.
Migraine-Associated Vertigo (MAV)
Migraine is now understood to be a vascular and neural process that can occur with or without pain. Migraine and vestibular dysfunction are discussed, including the recognition of migraine syndromes, evaluation and testing, vestibular test results commonly observed in migraine-related dizziness patients, treatment, and migraine triggers.
Ototoxicity
Discusses ototoxicity (ear poisoning) due to drugs or chemicals that damage the inner ear or vestibulo-cochlear nerve, which sends balance and hearing information from the inner ear to the brain.
Superior Canal Dehiscence: A Cause of Hearing and Balance Problems
Describes the vestibular and auditory symptoms and signs that can result from an opening (dehiscence) in the bone overlying the superior semicircular canal. Also discusses causes and diagnosis and treatment options.
Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome (EVAS)
Discusses the causes and prevalence of enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome (EVAS) and the hearing and vestibular symptoms associated with it, including information about clinical evaluation and treatment considerations.
VISION AND HEARING CHALLENGES WITH VESTIBULAR DISORDERS
Vision Challenges with Vestibular Disorders
Explains the link between the vestibular system and vision, describing the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in detail with information on evaluation, treatment, and coping strategies. Details the special considerations required for vision correction, including glasses and contact lenses.
Visual Preference and Vestibular Deficiency
A "Clinical Observations" column of VEDA's member newsletter, "On the Level." Discusses visual preference developed resulting from vestibular dysfunction, and provides suggestions for treating it.
Tinnitus—Ringing in the Ears: An Overview
Questions and answers about tinnitus, including terminology, causes and related factors, diagnosis and treatment options, and tips for prevention and reducing its severity.
Cochlear Hyperacusis and Vestibular Hyperacusis
Explains sound sensitivity, discusses symptoms that can include pain, dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and others; causes; testing; and treatment options.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VESTIBULAR DISORDERS AND COPING STRATEGIES
Observations on Cognitive and Psychological Aspects of Vestibular Disorders
Includes comments from a social worker, an otolaryngologist, and a neuropsychologist during interviews by VEDA on how vestibular disorders affect cognitive and psychological or emotional functioning. Interviewees: Carolyn Bennett, ACSW; Alexander Schleuning II, MD; and Mark Tilson, PhD.
“It’s All in Your Head”: Addressing Vestibular Patients’ Stressors and Self Doubts
Identifies the issues associated with the subtle erosion of self-esteem often experienced by vestibular patients.
Coping with a Vestibular Disorder
This publication contains to articles: 1) "Coping with a Chronic Vestibular Disorder and Other Invisible Illnesses" by Molly-Jane Isaacson Rubinger, MSW, LICSW, and 2) Learning to Cope with Vestibular Disorders: Tips Offered by VEDA and support group leaders to the person who is new to vestibular disorders.
Fatigue, Stress and Responsibilities
This publication explains how one can learn to cope with the fatigue (and contributors to fatigue, including stress and pain) that often accompanies their chronic illness and offers strategies to manage stress.
OTHER
Vestibular Disease in Dogs and Cats
Explains the signs of vestibular dysfunction in pets. Includes causes, prognosis, and treatments, including what owners can do to help their pets. Also includes a picture and link to one beloved dog's story.
VEDA Members Ask About Research
Addresses questions about why research takes so long, describes the scientific method, provides information about helping research by becoming a research subject.
Improving Balance with Tai Chi
Discusses the benefits of using Tai Chi - a martial art characterized by gracefully flowing movements and postures - to improve balance.
Hormones and Vestibular Disorders
Explores some of the possible effects of hormones on inner ear disorders in women.
Content courtesy of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA).
