Cervical Exercise in Peripheral Vestibular Disorders

Effect of Cervical Exercises in Addition to Vestibular Rehabilitation in the Treatment of Peripheral Vestibular Disorders

70 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders will be included in the study. Half of the subjects will receive vestibular rehabilitation exercises and the other half will receive additional cervical exercises. Results from the two groups will be compared.

70 patients with a diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disease will be enrolled in the study. Patient selection will be carried out in the physiatry, otorhinolaryngology and neurology outpatient clinics of our university hospital. Eligible patients will be informed about the study and those that accept to take part in the study will be referred to an investigator for history taking and physical examination. Demographic data, medical history and examination findings will be recorded. After initial assessment, all patients will receive a short education regarding vestibular exercises that they will be asked to do at home. A second investigator will be responsible for the randomization of subjects into two groups according to a computer generated randomization table and that same investigator will prescribe the second group additional cervical exercises to do in addition to the vestibular rehabilitation exercises.

After one months, patients will be reassessed and their measurements will be recorded. Statistical analyses will be carried out to compare the outcome scores of the two groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• A diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disease
• Being older than 18 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• Psychostimulant or psychotropic drug use that might alter vestibular functions
• Severe neurological, psychiatric or orthopedic disorder that might alter patients' ability to comply with the exercise program.