Therapy

[Juneau114]

Hello,

       I am new to this forum and have a question... I got a concussion over a year ago, still having alot of problems. been to 3 neurologists and had many tests. Recently I was referred to a therapist to start  Vestibular therapy, she explained about the Vestibular system and thinks I damaged it when I fell and got the concussion.

I only went once, and have " exercises to do at home" they make me more dizzy and sick to my stomach, but she says it will get worse before it get better..


Has anyone heard of this or went through the therapy? I am anxious to talk to someone who has

Thanks for your time

[rpwoodard]

Hi Juneau,
My eyes weren't working together properly, either. So in addition to the vestibular therapy, I had therapy for Convergence Insufficiency. When an object was within a certain distance from my face, my eyes wouldn't work together to keep the object in focus.

There are other issues related to convergence where the eyes don't work well together.

Good luck to you. That's great that you'll have an eye exam with someone experienced with head injuries.  Let us know what you learn...

[Juneau114]

I went to therapy for 2 months, doing the at home exercises, no help. My therapist has found that my eyes aren't working together, I can't see double when I should during certain exercises.She thinks that's adding to my headaches.
She has dischardge me, stating after 2 months if it's going to work there would have been some improvement.

So, now I am going to have an eye exam with someone who works with people with head injuries.

Hoping that will help some of the symptoms.

[rpwoodard]

Yes, I had vestibular therapy.  Yes, expect that the exercises will bring on the symptoms. That's what you want... Stick with it. Eventually you will notice that as you do the exercises, the symptoms will be less severe.

The goal of vestibular therapy is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system. Certain movements provoke symptoms. The balance systems has to be de-sensitized. (paraphrased from the Vestibular Disorders Association.org)

More details here:
http://vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorder/treatment

Sometimes I found it a challenge to do the exercises. As I made progress, the therapist would increase the intensity or difficulty of the exercises. Then I would become even more nauseous, dizzy . It was ok though, because as she continued to challenge my system, I continued to improve.

stay with it. And be sure to do the exercises at home..they are VERY worth it.
rpw