Effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation in people with unilateral vestibular disorder. Moderate to strong evidence exists to support VRT in people with UVD (Hall et al., 2022). Current clinical guidelines recommend that VRT should be offered to people with chronic UVD who are still experiencing symptoms (e.g., dizziness, unsteadiness, motion sensitivity, and oscillopsia) (Hall et al., 2022). Treatment outcomes were improved following VRT in people with UVD as compared to controls who received either no exercise or sham exercise therapy (Xxxxxxx et al., 2000b; Xxxxxxx et al., 2003; Xxxxx et al., 2009; Xxxxxxx et al., 2012; Xxxxx and Xxxx, 2017). Xxxxxxx and colleagues (2003) in a RCT study showed that a programme of gaze stability exercises was significantly more beneficial than general exercises in 21 people with chronic UVD aged 20-86 years old with impaired dynamic visual acuity and oscillopsia. Later, Xxxxx et al (2009) in their RCT of 42 people with chronic UVD showed that VRT consisting of gaze stabilisation, visual desensitisation, and balance exercises for four weeks, was more beneficial than no intervention in terms of improvements on disability perceived from dizziness, and postural stability. A retrospective study (but low evidence study as there was no control group) in 21 people older adults (e.g., 61-74 years old) with chronic UVD who were offered an 8-week VRT (e.g., gaze stabilisation exercises), observed significant improvements on disability perceived from dizziness (Xxxxx and Saki, 2017). A large cohort study in people with UVD showed that the duration of vestibular pathology did not play a significant role in treatment outcome (Xxxxxxx et al., 2012). Also, Xxxxxx and colleagues (2013) found that the symptom duration did not affect treatment outcome in people with CVD including those with VM. Although, other studies reported that the balance outcome was better for people with UVD who received VRT earlier (Xxxxxxx et al., 2012). Also, people with UVD who were offered an appointment in clinic within 6 months since the onset of their pathology scored lower in DHI compared with those who were seen in clinic after 6 months (Xxxxxx et al., 2000).
