title: Is vestibular rehabilitation as effective in bilateral vestibular dysfunction as in unilateral vestibular dysfunction?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bilateral vestibular dysfunction causes serious disabilities and handicaps. Patients with bilateral dysfunction often restrict their activities and tend to be unsocial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of vestibular rehabilitation on disability, balance, and postural stability in patients with unilateral and bilateral vestibular dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with unilateral (group 1, N.=42) and bilateral vestibular dysfunction (group 2, N.=19).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were evaluated before and after eight weeks of customized vestibular rehabilitation for disability (Dizziness Handicap Inventory [DHI], Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale [ABC]), dynamic balance (Timed Up and Go Test [TUG], Dynamic Gait Index [DGI]), and postural stability (static posturography).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences between DHI, TUG, DGI, and falling index (as assessed by static posturography) scores before and after the exercise program were statistically significant in both groups (P<0.05). There were no significant intergroup differences in any of the parameters evaluated (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, vestibular rehabilitation was found to be equally effective in unilateral and bilateral vestibular dysfunction patients for improving disability, dynamic balance, and postural stability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with bilateral dysfunction, causing more disability and greater handicap may indeed regain their functions as in patients with unilateral vestibular dysfunction by receiving appropriate and adequate vestibular rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department Medical Faculty, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karapolat
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Celebisoy
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kirazli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozgen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gode
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gokcay
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bilgen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirazli
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D015897:Comorbidity; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014421:Turkey; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests