Outpatient Locations

Vestibular Rehabilitation Program

The Vestibular Rehabilitation Program, provided in conjunction with the Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, is dedicated to helping individuals with complaints of dizziness and unsteadiness resulting from inner ear problems.

Approximately 15 out of 1000 individuals consult their family physicians each year with complaints of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance; in addition half of the individuals over the age of 65 will develop positional vertigo. Many of these individuals will have inner ear problems, which are not amenable to surgical treatment, and pharmacological treatment of these conditions with vestibular suppressants often retards the recovery process.

Recent studies have shown that these patients often benefit from rehabilitation exercises designed to enhance the central nervous system's adaptation process to inner ear dysfunction, increase the individual's postural stability, or relieve the specific symptoms.

Vestibular rehabilitation services focus on evaluation of the patient's functional abilities and assessment of positions or movements that provoke the patient's symptoms of dizziness and unsteadiness. Based on these findings, an appropriate therapy program is designed to minimize those symptoms, improve the patient's balance, and increase their functional capability.

Obtaining a Referral

Physical Therapy services require a referral and prescription from your primary care physician or specialist, depending on your insurance coverage. If your insurance company requires precertification, that will need to be completed before an appointment is scheduled.

Making an Appointment

After a referral / authorization is completed, an appointment can be scheduled by calling the (919) 684-3834 or (800) 385-3646, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Please specify that you are requesting an appointment to see a physical therapist for a vestibular rehabilitation program.

Clinic Hours and Location

Vestibular Rehabilitation services are available on Monday and Friday afternoons from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm in Clinic 1H of the Duke Clinics Building on Trent Drive.

Contact Information

Vestibular Rehabilitation Program
Dept of Physical & Occupational Therapy
Box 3965
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710

Appointments:
(919) 684-3834 or (800) 385-3646
Fax: (919) 684-8583

PT Services

Services include:

Consultation to determine rehabilitation potential for complaints of dizziness and unsteadiness with a probable vestibular etiology
Comprehensive examinations to establish baseline function and document change over time
Development of a customized rehabilitation programs designed to ameliorate symptoms and restore function

Diagnoses include:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Vestibular labyrinthitis and neuritis
Meniere’s Disease
Acoustic Neuroma
Inner Ear problems resulting from over-exposure to antibiotics
Traumatic Brain Injury
Stroke