For Referring Physicians

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Make a referral

Fax to 416.697.0730 or
email to referrals@vestibularhealth.ca

Download a referral form

Vestibular rehabilitation will help your patients by providing comprehensive assessment, an individualized exercise program, psychoeducation, and strategies for returning to meaningful functional activities.

Our comprehensive assessment includes oculomotor and vestibulo-ocular evaluation, cerebellar exam, complete balance and gait exam including posturography, infrared video oculography, and other neurological and musculoskeletal assessments as indicated.

We will communicate with you regarding our assessment findings, treatment plan, and any concerns that may require further tests or medical management.

Our physiotherapists are experienced in working collaboratively with physicians, mental health professionals, and allied health clinicians.

Conditions that benefit most

 

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Unilateral vestibular loss/hypofunction:

  • Vestibular neuritis

  • Labyrinthitis

  • Ramsay Hunt

  • Post-surgical

  • Vestibular schwannoma/acoustic neuroma

  • High velocity vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) loss

  • Other related conditions

Bilateral vestibular loss/hypofunction:

  • Ototoxicity

  • Idiopathic

  • Presbyvestibulopathy

  • High velocity VOR loss

Dizziness and imbalance after concussion/mild traumatic brain injury

Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)

Cerebellar Atrophy with Bilateral Vestibulopathy (CABV)

Fluctuating vestibular conditions: people with Meniere’s Disease, Recurrent Vestibulopathy, or Vestibular Migraine can benefit from vestibular rehabilitation if they have developed a unilateral or bilateral vestibular loss, if they are imbalanced between their attacks, if they would benefit from psychoeducation, or if they would benefit from support to maintain their physical activities.

Evidence-based care

“Based on strong evidence and a preponderance of benefit over harm, clinicians should offer vestibular rehabilitation to persons with unilateral and bilateral vestibular hypofunction with impairments and functional limitations related to the vestibular deficit.”

Hall CD, Herdman SJ, Whitney SL, et al. Vestibular rehabilitation for peripheral vestibular hypofunction: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2016;40(2):124–155.

 

“There is moderate to strong evidence that vestibular rehabilitation is a safe, effective management for unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction, based on a number of high-quality randomised controlled trials . . .
for the specific diagnostic group of BPPV, physical (repositioning) manoeuvres are more effective in the short term than exercise-based vestibular rehabilitation; although a combination of the two is effective for longer-term functional recovery.”

McDonnell  MN, Hillier SL. Vestibular rehabilitation for unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015; Issue 1.