Balance And Vestibular Therapy

Balance and vestibular therapy helps you manage dizziness and balance problems. At Aurora BayCare Medical Center, licensed physical and occupational therapists provide strategies and treatments to enhance your mobility, safety and overall independence.

Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation: Why Choose Aurora BayCare Medical Center?

People throughout northeast Wisconsin choose Aurora BayCare for balance and vestibular rehabilitation because we offer:

• Convenient access: We have a large therapy team and outpatient rehabilitation locations throughout the region. Our extensive program makes it easy to get vestibular therapy at a place and time that works for you.
• Comprehensive care: If you’re hospitalized with a stroke, traumatic injury or any condition that causes balance problems, we’re here to help. Therapists offer inpatient care and guide your transition to outpatient rehabilitation once you’re discharged.
• Expert team: Some of our therapists are certified in vestibular therapy. This training means they’re experienced in the latest treatment techniques, based on research and proven results. You receive care from skilled experts.

Our Services for Balance and Vestibular Therapy

Our experienced therapists assess your symptoms and learn about how balance or vestibular issues are affecting your life. We build an individualized treatment plan that may include:

• Balance equipment: We use a device to measure your ability to react to challenges such as movement and uneven surfaces. We use the information to improve your balance, reflexes, motor skills and reaction timing.
• Fall prevention: Therapists provide strategies to reduce your risk of falls and injuries. We teach you to use assistive devices if necessary.
• Gait training: We use specialized equipment to help improve your gait (walking pattern), and endurance after a stroke, surgery or traumatic injury.
• Safety evaluations: Therapists can discuss the safety of your environment at home or work. We make recommendations for ergonomic adjustments to reduce your risk of falls.

Conditions We Treat

In the vestibular system, the inner ear and the brain work together to process sensory information like sight and touch. Disturbances in the vestibular system can cause dizziness, vertigo, spinning and general feelings of being off balance. Balance problems can result from age, illness or injury. Inner ear conditions can also cause balance issues.

At Aurora BayCare, we treat a wide range of balance and vestibular disorders, including:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), dizziness triggered by certain head or eye movements
• Labyrinthitis, inflammation of the inner ear
• Ménière's disease, an inner ear disorder that causes dizziness or hearing loss
• Migraine headaches
• Stroke-related balance problems
• Vestibular neuronitis, a condition affecting a nerve in the ear that controls balance

Benefits of Balance and Vestibular Therapy

Balance and vestibular therapy can:

• Allow you to stay active and exercise safely
• Help you perform activities at home, work or school without dizziness
• Lower your risk of injuries or fractures due to falls
• Reduce your fall risk