Effect of vestibular rehabilitation on recovery rate and functioning improvement in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction and bilateral vestibular hypofunction.

BACKGROUND: The minimal number of studies have documented the impact of Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) on the recovery rate of patients with Chronic Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction (CUVH) and Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction (BVH).

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to show and compare the impact of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in patients with CUVH and BVH.

METHODS: We analysed the data of 30 patients with CUVH and 20 with BVH treated with VR. The patients with CUVH during their eight-week treatment were controlled every two weeks, while the patients with BVH were controlled every three months during their one-year treatment; they filled in the DHI and ABC questionnaires every time.

RESULTS: In both groups of patients, there was significantly less disablement between the initial and final DHI scores (from 59-20 in CUVH and 74-41 in BVH group). There was a significant increase in the balance confidence between the initial and final ABC Scale in both groups of patients (from 49.5-90% in CUVH and 42-73% in BVH group).

CONCLUSIONS: Well-planned and individually adjusted system of vestibular exercises leads to a significant decrease in clinical symptoms and improvement of functioning and confidence in activities in both the CUVH and the BVH patients.