[Vestibular rehabilitation in elderly patients with dizziness].

BACKGROUND: The aging of the population is a natural process and is manifested by a decline in the functions of several organs. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is a therapeutic process that seeks to promote a significant reduction in the symptoms of the labyrinth.

AIM: To verify the benefits of VR exercises through the application of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) questionnaire--Brazilian version--pre and post rehabilitation.

METHOD: Participants of this study were eight elderly patients with dizziness, ages between 63 and 82 years, three male and five female. The following procedures were carried out: medical history, otologic inspection, vestibular evaluation with vectoelectronystagmography (VENG), application of the DHI questionnaire and of the Cawthorne (1944) and Cooksey (1946) VR exercises.

RESULTS: Regarding the auditory and vestibular complaints which were referred to in the medical history, the following was observed: presence of tinnitus, hearing loss, postural vertigo and of unbalance. In the evaluation of the vestibular function alterations were observed for all of the participants, mainly in the caloric test, with a prevalence of unilateral and bilateral hypofunction. In the vestibular exam the following was observed: three cases of unilateral peripheral vestibular deficit syndrome, three cases of bilateral peripheral vestibular deficit syndrome, one case of bilateral central vestibular deficit syndrome and one case of irritating bilateral central vestibular syndrome. There was a statistically significant improvement of the following aspects after VR: physical (p=0.00413), functional (p=0.00006) and emotional (p=0.03268).

CONCLUSION: The VR protocol favored the improvement of life quality of the participants and was of assistance in the process of vestibular compensation.