“Do vestibular exercises work?”
My youngest son is 14-years-old and he has a lot of trouble with balance and dizziness. Our family doctor recommended vestibular exercises. Do these work?
4 Answers
they do in general, but a 14 year old with vestibular problems is unusual. this needs to be diagnosed with an objective vestibular evaluation done by an audiologist. This is called a VNG or vestibular neurography. I would suggest having your son properly evaluated before starting any exercise routine.
Yes, it does. Your son is young and it will generally work.
Best to have him seen by ENT for evaluation, imaging studies, hearing test, possible Electronystagmogram
You didn't mention the diagnosis. What is the diagnosis? If he has no diagnosis, perhaps he needs another study or a consultation with a neurologist. He may also need a spiral CT. I got over a vertebral artery dissection and while I still have problems, I was vestibular for about twelve years.
Yes, depending on the diagnosis, vestibular exercises can work. It is a challenging situation because at first, and for quite a while, the exercises may make your son nauseated. He may even vomit. That is because the nerves have to learn new roads to travel. Without pushing too hard, he has to stop when he feels sick; with time, can then do it longer. Keep track to watch the progress because it's rewarding to see him doing more and more.
The more he works out this part of his brain, the thicker and more 'talkative' the nerve tracks become, and the better he will get. So keep it up and challenge him by letting him pick out some oranges or apples at the grocery store, and one day at a local farmer's market. It gets his eyes moving back and forth in real life, for something that he may really want (instead of a bland exercise in an office building). His motivation leads the way, so keep up the encouragement!
In this regard, keep looking for fun ways of encouragement for practical use, but learn to stop before getting too sick.
Yes, depending on the diagnosis, vestibular exercises can work. It is a challenging situation because at first, and for quite a while, the exercises may make your son nauseated. He may even vomit. That is because the nerves have to learn new roads to travel. Without pushing too hard, he has to stop when he feels sick; with time, can then do it longer. Keep track to watch the progress because it's rewarding to see him doing more and more.
The more he works out this part of his brain, the thicker and more 'talkative' the nerve tracks become, and the better he will get. So keep it up and challenge him by letting him pick out some oranges or apples at the grocery store, and one day at a local farmer's market. It gets his eyes moving back and forth in real life, for something that he may really want (instead of a bland exercise in an office building). His motivation leads the way, so keep up the encouragement!
In this regard, keep looking for fun ways of encouragement for practical use, but learn to stop before getting too sick.
