Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust - Background Information for Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises

Sep 5, 2026

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust provides patient information on vestibular rehabilitation exercises for dizziness related to balance organs in the inner ear. It explains the role of the visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems in maintaining balance, outlines why exercises may be needed, and describes how regular practice supports compensation and recalibration. The leaflet covers expected dizziness during training, effectiveness ranges, benefits for recovery and confidence, key risks and when to seek help, and alternatives such as increased activity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Audiology: Vestibular Rehabilitation

What is the vestibular system?

When are vestibular rehabilitation exercises needed?

What are vestibular rehabilitation exercises?

How effective are the exercises?

What are the benefits of the exercises?

What are the risks of the exercises?

Are there any alternatives to these exercises?

How do I choose the correct vestibular rehabilitation exercises?

What are the exercises?

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust Background Information for Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises Information and advice for patients Audiology: Vestibular Rehabilitation This leaflet gives you information about vestibular rehabilitation exercises which you have been recommended. What is the vestibular system? The vestibular system controls your balance. There are three main senses involved in this system: • Vision (your eyes)– to see where you are • Proprioception (the sensors in your muscles and joints)– to feel where you are • Vestibular organs (the balance organs in your inner ear, you have one in each ear)– to sense when your head moves Your brain uses signals from these 3 senses to control your eye and body movements to keep your balance. If any of these 3 senses are not working properly you may feel dizzy or unsteady. When are vestibular rehabilitation exercises needed? If there is a problem with either of your vestibular organs, your brain will receive faulty signals every time you move. Your brain has a natural recovery process which gradually helps you to cope with the faulty signals and recalibrate your balance system. This is called ‘compensation’. This recovery process can be accelerated and the degree of recovery increased by regularly practising special exercises for vestibular rehabilitation which include eye, head and body movements to stimulate your balance system. The exercises are simple and designed so you can do them at home. What are vestibular rehabilitation exercises? Vestibular rehabilitation exercises are the most effective treatment for dizziness which is due to a problem with the balance organs. They will also help you overcome fear and stop avoiding movements which previously caused you to feel dizzy. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises will make you feel slightly dizzy while you are doing them, this is normal. The dizziness is a sign that your brain needs practice making these movements and the exercises should help you to recalibrate your balance system. If the balance exercises make you feel extremely dizzy/unwell, then they may need to be made slightly easier. If the exercises do not make you feel dizzy or off balance, even at top speed, practising them will not help you. Page 1 Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust Background Information for Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises Information and advice for patients Audiology: Vestibular Rehabilitation How effective are the exercises? The effectiveness of the exercises varies for different people. 70 – 90% of patients with problems affecting only one balance organ will experience an improvement in their symptoms. 34 – 75% of patients with problems affecting both of their balance organs will experience improvement. The exercises are more effective if your dizziness is caused by your balance organ(s), they are less effective if your dizziness is caused by something else such as a migraine, or fluctuating balance problems, e.g. Meniere ’s disease, or if both balance organs are affected. Even after recovery, many patients need to continue to do exercises occasionally. Patients who do recover may continue to have difficulties when making fast or unpredictable head movements. What are the benefits of the exercises? The benefit of vestibular rehabilitation is that it will gradually help to improve your dizziness in both the speed and amount of recovery. They also aim to increase confidence and quality of life. What are the risks of the exercises? The exercises should make you feel dizzy or off balance while you are doing them. We therefore advise that you do them in a safe environment and someone is nearby to support you if you need it. The exercises are based on everyday movements so they will be safe to carry out unless you have been advised by a medical professional to avoid any movements, for example if you have any underlying neck, back or eye conditions. You should stop the exe

FAQs

What problem do vestibular rehabilitation exercises treat?

They treat dizziness caused by a problem with the balance organs. They can also help reduce fear and avoid movements that previously triggered dizziness.

Why do the exercises make you feel dizzy or off balance?

Slight dizziness during exercises is normal and indicates the brain is practicing these movements. If symptoms become extremely severe, the exercises may need to be made easier; if there is no dizziness even at top speed, they may not help.

How effective are vestibular rehabilitation exercises?

Effectiveness varies by person. About 70–90% of patients with problems affecting one balance organ and 34–75% with problems affecting both experience improvement, with better results when dizziness originates from the balance organs.

Sep 5, 2026

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