2018 Volume 58 Issue 6 Pages 511-516
The role of vestibular rehabilitant to the patients with intractable dizziness was investigated. We treat patient with chronic dizziness by group in-hospitalized vestibular rehabilitation for 5 days. In this program the patients have to perform group rehabilitation 3 times a day. After discharge, they perform the same program at home. Several questionnaires including DHI (Dizziness Handicap Inventory), SSCS (Somatosensory Catastrophizing Scale), SSAS (Somatosensory Amplification Scale) were used before and after the rehabilitation. The static posturography was also conducted. The main outcome was DHI.
The vestibular rehabilitation significantly improved the DHI score, the SSCS score, depression, and anxiety. Multivariate analysis indicated that the improvement in the DHI score was poorer in patients who showed high SSCS score before intervention. A higher revalue of the DHI was associated with greater improvements in this perceived handicap after the rehabilitation. Small body sway pre-rehabilitation was related to positive effects on the DHI score in patients with a high prevalue of the DHI.
The vestibular rehabilitation contributed to the improvement of perceived handicap due to dizziness, catastrophization of bodily sensation, and emotional distress. Patients who catastrophized their bodily sensations before vestibular rehabilitation saw smaller improvements in perceived handicap due to dizziness.
