Vestibular rehabilitation in a university hospital.
The aim of vestibular rehabilitation is to improve total balance, quality of life and spatial orientation of patients with dizziness.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the characteristics of the patients who underwent the Vestibular Rehabilitation program of the Neurotology Ward of a University Hospital, and to verify the results obtained between November/2000 and December/2004.


METHODS
analysis of 93 files from patients under Vestibular Rehabilitation during the studied period.


METHODS
Retrospective clinical.


RESULTS
the mean age of patients was 52.82 years, 56 females and 37 males. The average number of therapy sessions was 4.3, higher for patients with central neurotological disorders (average of 5.9). Among the patients who concluded the treatment, 37 (60.7%) had significant improvement, 14 (22.9%) presented partial improvement and 10 (16.4%) did not report significant benefits. Patients with peripheral neurotological disorders were the ones who most benefited from Vestibular Rehabilitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the patients were female, with a mean age of 52.8 years. Fifty one patients (83.6%) benefited from the therapy, confirming treatment efficacy.
São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP/EPM, Brazil.
Flávia da Silva
Fda S
Tavares
Maria Francisca Colella Dos
MF
Santos
Keila Alessandra Baraldi
KA
Knobel
D004244:Dizziness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*