Vestibular therapy for balance

[jaqiday]

Hi all
I attended the local an meeting yesterday and the speaker was a vestibular therapist. She explained how we have to retrain our brains.  I am 8 months post op and have been struggling with balance since the surgery. I learned so much from the speaker. I am going to look into getting therapy, but I also learned a lot of information that I can do on my own to help improve my balance.  I urge anyone out there also struggling with balance to look into this.  I have found improvement one day after the meeting with just simple changes in my posture.  This has also changed my attitude from "oh crap I'm dizzy today" to "what can change to make this better".

[arizonajack]

I would also encourage people with balance issues to explore vestibular therapy.

I had sessions with a vestibular therapist before and after my Gamma Knife and my balance problems (the lurches) resolved within less than a year.

I learned balance exercises and how to use a balance pad and balance board, both of which I bought and used at home.

[CHD63]

I will join the "bandwagon" of highly recommending vestibular therapy following AN treatment.  It really needs to be done by a trained vestibular therapist (not just a physical therapist) for best results.  I went to therapy for several months following surgery and it was extremely valuable ..... worth the hour drive one way each time.

Clarice

[v357139]

I also say the more conscientious you are in your recovery, the better you will recover, in most cases.  I did not need vestibular therapy.  But I did my balance exercises and walking every day after I left the hospital, and I think that helped.  Vestibular therapy is also a great idea if a person is having issues.

[ibfuelish]

Yesterday my doc gave this "Wonky" symptom a name that nobody else seems to go by.

Oscillopsia:  A Symptoms generally from a neurological disorder (tumor) that causes instability in the visual field. 

If you research it, you'll find scholarly articles delineating what has to be happening for one to feel Oscillopsia.

Short of it is:  When ones head is moved either by themselves or their environment (say a rough road) the balance organs sense this movement and in a shorter amount of time than you can realize (less than 20milliseconds) the eyes are adjusted in a fashion to stabilize the visual picture.  Oscillopsia can occur when the signal to stabilize the eyes either Leads or Lags the physical need for the stabilization.

So, we're talking milliseconds here.  A tumor sitting on the vestibular (balance) nerve or the removal of that tumor off that nerve would certainly affect the brains ability to stabilize the visual field.

[oak1971]

Over a year post op and still not over the balance problems. Had PT several times, but nobody seems to "get" my specific problem and how to treat it. 

[Greece Lover]

Oscillopsia.  That kinda describes well my continued symptoms.  I guess that's helpful to put a name on it!

[Big Steve]

Interesting discussion. Oscillopsia, get that sometimes. I had translab surgery Jan 2013 rendering me one-side vestibular. I had some post-op vestibular PT but soon concluded that resuming jogging, hiking, trail jogging, skiing (alpine, XC and touring) and mountain travel on foot was the best DIY vestibular therapy for me. Post surgery, I am much more dependent on visual cues for balance, and I have problems skiing in flat light or other low viz conditions. (Any skiers out there feel free to PM me re goggle lenses that enhance vision in various conditions.) A sudden head movement really messes me up, so I really work on keeping my head steady during my activities. It aint what it used to be, but I am thankful each day that I am still getting out there.