Feeling dizzy, unsteady or disoriented is not just unpleasant — it can put you at risk for falls and serious injuries. Our vestibular rehabilitation program aims to help children and adults reduce dizziness resulting from a variety of inner ear disorders and neurologic conditions, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), post-concussion syndrome and vestibular migraines.
Vestibular Rehabilitation: Why Choose Johns Hopkins
- Our team of physical therapists includes several certified neurologic specialists, as well as therapists experienced in vestibular exercises and BPPV repositioning maneuvers.
- We can help you address dizziness and related issues, such as nausea, lightheadedness, imbalance, oscillopsia (visual blurring) and motion sensitivity.
- We have access to the latest diagnostic and exercise technology for vestibular rehabilitation, including infrared goggles that record eye movement to evaluate balance centers.
- Our therapy programs are based on a comprehensive musculoskeletal, balance, gait and vertigo assessment that helps develop a customized plan that addresses your unique challenges, lifestyle, health and exercise tolerance.
Schedule An Appointment
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Schedule by phone
Maryland clinics except Bayview: 443-997-5476
Johns Hopkins Bayview: 410-550-0414 Sibley Memorial Hospital: 202-364-7665
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Dizziness and Balance Issues We Treat
You should be evaluated by your physician before starting therapy to rule out other causes of dizziness or balance impairment. You can get a referral for therapy form a primary physician, geriatrician, otolaryngologist or neurologist. Our therapists treat dizziness and balance issues related to:
Inner Ear Problems
- Vestibular hypofunction (balance disorder of the inner ear)
- Labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear)
- Vestibular neuritis (inflammation of the auditory nerve’s vestibular portion)
- Bilateral vestibulopathy (damage of both inner ears)
- Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma)
- BPPV (It occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location in the inner ear.)
- Meniere’s disease
Trauma and Neurological Issues
- Concussion and post-concussion syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury
- Vestibular migraine
- Functional movement disorder
- Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)
- Stroke
- Cerebellar disorders (ataxia)
- Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)
- Multiple sclerosis
Meet Our Therapists
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Hayley Cook | Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Neurology Clinical Specialist
Expertise: falls/balance, neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Columbia
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Allison Dale | Team Coordinator, Physical Therapist
Certifications: C2 Schroth Certification
Expertise: orthopedics, scoliosis, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Timonium
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Meredith Drake | Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Neurology Clinical Specialist, Competency-Based Vestibular Rehabilitation Course (Herdman)
Expertise: falls/balance, neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Baltimore
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Amy Lowe | Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist
Expertise: orthopedics, neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation, aquatic therapy
Location: Timonium
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Daniel Ludwig | Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Neurology Clinical Specialist
Expertise: neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Baltimore
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Jennifer Millar | Physical Therapist
Expertise: facial motor rehabilitation, falls/balance, neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Baltimore
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Allison Nogi | Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Neurology Clinical Specialist
Expertise: neurologic rehabilitation, falls/balance, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Baltimore
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Anne Spar | Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapist
Certifications: Board-Certified Neurology Clinical Specialist
Expertise: falls/balance, neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Columbia
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Avital Steinberg | Physical Therapist
Certifications: LSVT BIG! Certified Clinician, Board-Certified Vestibular Therapist
Expertise: falls/balance, neurologic rehabilitation, parkinson's disease, vestibular rehabilitation
Location: Columbia
How Vestibular Therapy Can Help with Dizziness and Imbalance
The goals of vestibular therapy may differ depending on the underlying conditions causing your dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation may help you:
- Reduce dizziness and related symptoms
- Regain function
- Reposition inner ear debris (calcium crystals) in cases of BPPV
- Develop compensatory mechanisms in the brain through other senses such as vision
Balance is a skill that coordinates multiple systems in the body, and exercise helps these systems work together in a coordinated fashion. Vestibular rehabilitation uses exercise to address dizziness and balance impairments. Treatments may include patient and caregiver education as well as in-clinic and home exercises, such as:
- Repositioning maneuvers for BPPV
- Habituation exercises that place you in positions that trigger dizziness, thus allowing your body to adjust and decrease the dizziness you experience
- Gaze stability training
- Balance retraining
- Exercise programs that address issues with weakness, decreased range of motion, etc.