About Our Program
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is a specialized type of physical therapy used to treat disorders of the vestibular system, which helps maintain balance and spatial orientation. The Montefiore Einstein Vestibular Rehabilitation Program is primarily designed to assist patients with conditions affecting the inner ear, which often result in symptoms such as dizziness, spinning, visual disturbances and challenges with posture, balance and walking.
Regardless of the onset, cause or symptoms, vestibular therapy is an effective treatment. Our multidisciplinary team of physiatrists and physical therapists welcomes patients who have been previously evaluated by their primary care provider and who are in stable medical condition. We ensure every patient’s successful recovery and aim to enhance their ability to engage in everyday activities without the anxiety, discomfort and physical risks that inner ear complications can cause.
We collaborate with patients to provide relief from dizziness, vertigo, a repeated sense of imbalance, frequent and unexplained falls, the need to hold onto objects when walking to maintain balance, blurry vision that accompanies head movements, as well as neck pain and stiffness.
Our Vestibular Rehabilitation Services
The initial step in treatment involves a comprehensive clinical evaluation by the physician, which includes a detailed history relevant to the symptoms, a thorough physical examination and a review of laboratory tests and imaging results. Customized exercise programs are then created based on these clinical findings and the patient’s functional impairments. The therapeutic effect of the exercises relies on brain plasticity and its capacity to form new brain pathways, compensating for the deteriorating vestibular system.
A licensed therapist offers vestibular therapy in a one-on-one setting. These sessions are further supported by an exercise program that should be performed regularly at home, as directed by a therapist. Timely and customized treatment that combines supervised and home exercises is the key to success. After treatment, many patients experience improved balance, coordination and body strength, a decreased risk of falling, a return to their previous level of movement and function, increased stability and reduced dizziness.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
The most common reason for patients of all ages to seek vestibular rehabilitation is severe, position-related dizziness due to a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). For most patients, this condition can be successfully treated with one to two canalith repositioning maneuvers, which can be conducted in the office. However, no two rehabilitation treatment plans are exactly alike. Our team of experts will develop an individualized program that may include one or more of the following:
- Compensation strategies
- Exercises to improve balance
- Canalith repositioning treatment (CRT) for BPPV
- Gaze stabilization exercises
Your Vestibular Rehabilitation Team
Our multidisciplinary team of physiatrists and physical therapists collaborates to achieve shared goals, partnering with you in meaningful ways that enhance the benefits of ongoing rehabilitation. We strive to foster recovery while preventing further impairment or complications.
Olivera D. Pekovic, MD
About Vestibular Rehabilitation
For over a decade, our board certified physical therapists and physiatrists have worked collaboratively in a multidisciplinary partnership with other specialized physicians and the broader Montefiore Einstein care network, including our colleagues from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Together, we care for patients diagnosed with various conditions, including inner ear tumors (or vestibular schwannoma), inner ear hypofunction and BPPV.
Learn More About Conditions Treated by the Vestibular Rehabilitation Team
Our Location
Montefiore Einstein, Wakefield Campus