Tuesday 2 May 2017

Vestibular Rehabilitation


So what does it involve? How does it help with balance conditions, and what type of exercises will you have to do ? How do you deal with the anxiety and stress that comes with living with a balance condition. In this post you , you can hear from Michaela Burton who is a vestibular audiologist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and at the London Rd Clinic in Leicester. 

She is the lady who's been guiding me through my current situation and she's great. The most important thing I get from seeing her, is that she understands, she gets it you know! I don't have to pretend , I can talk openly and honestly about how I'm feeling. I can tell her about those little achievements and strides I've made but I can also talk about the bits I'm still struggling with. I've been told I also have migrainous symptoms and the last time I spoke to Michaela she persuaded me to go to see my GP to get that sorted. I've been and got some medication! (Whoop!)  sadly I'm just too scared to take it. I know that if I don't deal with the migraines it'll affect the Vestibulopathy too , so I really do need to deal with the fear of taking new medication. I'm just not quite sure how yet but I'm working on it. 

I have managed in the last few weeks to push myself to go to places that are extremely visually challenging. I managed to walk across a busy main road without using a stick, ( I may have felt sick after and dizzy) but I did it! I've been to the National Space Centre for a couple of hours as well. Now if you've never been there before it's  certainly a visually challenging environment for someone with a balance condition. Thousands of people, dark spaces with bright lights, glass lifts to a number of different levels which allow you to look over and above at various space craft .  The Planetarium- which I didn't go into. You get the picture . Well I was able to with help do some of it . I did feel quite ill during and after and had a long sleep straight after. But - I did it!!!!! Michaela will be pleased I'm sure, although she may say I should have just tried it for a much shorter time frame. Which I kinda of agree with. Too much too soon will probably just put me off doing it again soon. 

Anyway- here she is with her wealth of experience, talking about Vestibular Rehabilitation. 



2 comments:

  1. Well done Rupal, I'm sure you are doing the right thing...Now just get past your fear of taking the medication and I'm certain you will be up and running very soon. Pete H.

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  2. Hi Rupal - well done for challenging yourself with these different environments- it must have been tough! Just make sure you get enough rest when you have done them. You will continue to improve I am sure! I have started doing these exercises on the online site below as I have decompensated recently (crowds are a particular problem for me at the moment)and I needed some support in doing VRT again. I had seen physiotherapist a couple of years ago who gave me a programme of exercises that would help my particular problems.It seems like the online programme may help me get over this blip! https://balance.lifeguidehealth.org/player/play/balance

    There is more info on VRT for vestibular disorders on the Meniere's Society website with some links to downloadable booklets on ways to help your symptons.
    http://www.menieres.org.uk/information-and-support/treatment-and-management/vestibular-rehabilitation

    Great post and video! Thanks for doing the blog :)

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