Easy, Inexpensive, and Effective: Vestibular Exercises for Balance Control
Authors: Marianne Dieterich
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2004)

Editorials19 October 2004Easy, Inexpensive, and Effective: Vestibular Exercises for Balance ControlMarianne Dieterich, MDMarianne Dieterich, MDFrom Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-141-8-200410190-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The common symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, and disequilibrium occur in 5% to 10% of all patients seen by general practitioners and in 10% to 20% of all patients seen by neurologists and otolaryngologists. Incidence increases with patient age, and the symptoms occur most frequently in persons older than 75 years of age (1). Dizziness and vertigo are not disease entities but, rather, are the outcome of many physiologic and pathologic processes (2). Consequently, dizziness and vertigo have many causes, including vestibular rotational vertigo syndromes with nausea and vomiting, visual vertigo, presyncope light-headedness and hypoglycemic dizziness, drug intoxication, phobias, panic attacks, ...References1. Sloane PD, Baloh RW, Honrubia V. The vestibular system in the elderly: clinical implications. Am J Otolaryngol. 1989;10:422-9. [PMID: 2688446] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Brandt T. Its Multisensory Syndromes. 2nd ed. London: Springer; 1999. Google Scholar3. Brandt T, Daroff RB. The multisensory physiological and pathological vertigo syndromes. Ann Neurol. 1980;7:195-203. [PMID: 6999976] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Leigh RJ, Zee DS. The Neurology of Eye Movements. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford Univ Pr; 1999. Google Scholar5. Yardley L, Donovan-Hall M, Smith HE, Walsh BM, Mullee M, Bronstein AM. Effectiveness of primary care–based vestibular rehabilitation for chronic dizziness. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:598-605. 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Components of postural dyscontrol in the elderly: a review. Neurobiol Aging. 1989;10:727-38. [PMID: 2697808] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Marianne Dieterich, MDAffiliations: From Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.Acknowledgment: The author thanks Judy Benson for critically reading the manuscript.Grant Support: From the German Research Foundation.Disclosures: None disclosed.Corresponding Author: Marianne Dieterich, MD, Department of Neurology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeck-strasse 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; e-mail, [email protected]klinik.uni-mainz.de. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEffectiveness of Primary Care–Based Vestibular Rehabilitation for Chronic Dizziness Lucy Yardley , Margaret Donovan-Hall , Helen E. Smith , Bronagh M. Walsh , Mark Mullee , and Adolfo M. Bronstein Metrics Cited byVestibular Rehabilitation Affects Vestibular Asymmetry among Patients with Fall-Related Wrist Fractures - A Randomized Controlled TrialVestibular rehabilitation for vestibular migraineVestibular rehabilitation – For whom and how? A systematic reviewLa rééducation vestibulaire des vertiges et troubles de l’équilibre chroniques 19 October 2004Volume 141, Issue 8Page: 641-643KeywordsAgingCellsDisequilibriumElderlyExerciseHypoglycemicsPostural controlReflexesVertigoWalking ePublished: 19 October 2004 Issue Published: 19 October 2004 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...