Depersonalization and Derealization (DPDR) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a sense of unreality and detachment from one’s surroundings, body, emotions, and self. The physical processes vary and include problems with sensory function that alter one’s perception of reality. Vestibular (inner ear) sensory dysfunction contributes to DPDR symptoms, as it interferes with a person’s perception of their posture and surroundings, and movement of themselves in relation to their surroundings. The inner ear contains two divisions: 1) the peripheral vestibular system, which consists of the hearing and vestibular organs in the ear, and 2) the central vestibular system, which consists of the brain and brainstem, and is involved in processing and integrating information from the peripheral vestibular system.  Peripheral vestibular dysfunction may bring about DPDR disorder. However, there is a lack of information on DPDR symptoms in disorders that include central (nervous system) vestibular dysfunction. This paper investigates whether DPDR may […]

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VEDA - Published Wed May 31 2023 00:28    View Full Story...

By Donielle Brasure PT, DPT Vestibular rehabilitation has come a long way in recent years. People have struggled to find a proper diagnosis and successful treatments for their symptoms including vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, and motion sickness. Thankfully, with the help of clinicians, patients, and support groups, we are starting to see many new treatment options. One tool to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and patients in rehabilitation is virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) has become very popular recently, especially for gaming, but it can also be used therapeutically for the treatment of many health issues including vestibular disorders. I personally can’t get away from it as a mother of three children. Every few months, someone wants the newest gaming equipment or game to be used with their systems. For years, I have avoided their games and rides due to vestibular symptoms. I know that I will feel dizzy or nauseous […]

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VEDA - Published Mon May 15 2023 18:00    View Full Story...

Volunteer(s) of the Year 2023 It is with great pleasure that VeDA announces its Volunteer(s) of the Year for 2023. VeDA is a grassroots organization, and our volunteers are at the heart of what we do. This award is selected through a voting process by their peers – other VeDA volunteers, and recognizes the outstanding contributions of individuals who have dedicated their time and energy to helping others with vestibular disorders. 2023 Winners VeDA is happy to honor joint-nominees Marissa Aldete and Joy Holten who have gone above and beyond in their service to the organization and the vestibular community. Marissa and Joy co-host the podcasts “Finding Joy in your Vestibular Journey and “Vestibular Voices” and have also been guests on other podcasts. Marissa and Joy facilitate a support group, and were instrumental in helping to create a presentation to help onboard new VeDA Ambassadors. Marissa is part of the cast […]

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VEDA - Published Wed May 10 2023 22:51    View Full Story...

ICU – “I SEE YOU” PODCAST Vestibular Rehabilitation: Movement and Exercise for Vestibular Disorders LISTEN NOW Available wherever you get your podcasts. APPLE PODCASTS    SPOTIFY Movement and exercise are two words that can be really triggering for people with chronic illnesses. You may have heard someone say to you “just exercise, you’ll feel better,” but when we take that advice from our doctors the opposite effect might happen. More often than not, picking up a new exercise routine can actually make you feel worse if your symptoms and current state of chronic illness is not considered first and foremost. Exercise CAN be used to your advantage, and you can absolutely reduce your sensitivity to movement, reduce the number of attacks you have, raise your threshold, and improve your quality of life through movement if you approach it with very specific intentions. In this episode they talk about how and what […]

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VEDA - Published Tue May 9 2023 17:32    View Full Story...

Kristy has always been passionate about art. But when she started experiencing vertigo in January 2021, her world turned upside down. The dizziness was constant, making it difficult for Kristy to navigate even the simplest tasks. The throbbing pain in the back of her head and neck made it impossible to concentrate, and she struggled to focus her eyes. It was like the ground beneath her feet was constantly shifting, and she had to stay home, unable to work on her art or even leave her bed. Kristy had a history of ear problems before the dizziness started. So, that is where her doctors started. When her ear problems were solved by getting tubes, Kristy hoped that her dizziness would go away too, but it persisted. She was referred to a neurologist and went through various tests, including a VNG, MRI, and CT scan, before finally receiving a diagnosis of […]

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VEDA - Published Mon May 8 2023 23:55    View Full Story...

Stepping Out Of Darkness Life Rebalanced Chronicles Season 3 After two years following 9 incredible vestibular warriors, the Life Rebalanced Chronicles are back for season 3 with an all-new cast! EPISODE 2: Stepping Out Of Darkness Heather always dreamed of sailing. She and her husband planned to someday sell their home and live their lives traveling from shore to shore. But that dream came to a halt when she got sick. As Heather battled her vestibular condition, she found a way to Stepping Out of Darkness and dream a new dream. You can watch this 10-minute episode now to learn how Heather is able to step out of the darkness in her vestibular journey! WATCH NOW TRANSCRIPT VeDA uses otter.ai to create machine-generated transcripts. This transcript may contain errors. Well, um, I was just, I guess normal person just working my regular job, my nursing job and coming home taking care of the […]

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VEDA - Published Thu May 4 2023 16:58    View Full Story...

According to Merriam-Webster, Hyperacuity is “greater than normal acuteness of a sense, including hearing. Hyperacusis is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “a rare hearing disorder where sound others perceive as normal, seem uncomfortable and often unbearably loud. It is also described as decreased sound tolerance or DST.” Many vestibular patients experience hyperacusis, and it can quickly become the most debilitating symptom for them as they continue their daily lives. Imagine no longer being able to tolerate your young daughter’s noises that she makes when playing, like VeDA Ambassador, Heather Davies. Or having to switch seats at a restaurant because it’s too loud to even read the menu, like this author has had to do. This is only a snapshot of what it can be like for patients with hyperacusis.  However, as with every hurdle in the road of being a vestibular patient, there are always some tricks and tips […]

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VEDA - Published Tue May 2 2023 23:23    View Full Story...

Finding Joy Life Rebalanced Chronicles Season 3 After two years following 9 incredible vestibular warriors, the Life Rebalanced Chronicles are back for season 3 with an all-new cast! EPISODE 1: FINDING JOY Marissa thought she was done with the dizzies. Then it all came back. When none of her treatments were working and her doctors said there was nothing they could do for her, she hit rock bottom. Her world started spinning, she was stuck at home, and she started questioning her purpose. But Marissa never stopped fighting. You can watch this 10-minute episode now to learn how Marissa is able to find joy in her vestibular journey! Watch Now TRANSCRIPT VeDA uses otter.ai to create machine-generated transcripts. This transcript may contain errors. Before this all started, I would say I was very confident, very driven, very work oriented. Family came first I was, you know, I had my son that was young, he […]

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VEDA - Published Fri Apr 21 2023 02:24    View Full Story...

ICU – “I SEE YOU” PODCAST Vestibular Rehabilitation: What Works, What Doesn’t LISTEN NOW Available wherever you get your podcasts. APPLE PODCASTS    SPOTIFY    Youtube Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, or VRT, is a specialized form of exercise-based therapy designed to alleviate both primary and secondary symptoms of vestibular disorders. VRT uses specific head, body, and eye exercises designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the inner ear and coordinate them with information from our eyes and muscles. Physical therapists are challenged with creating a customized therapy plan for each patient. While VRT is an evidence-based approach for treating many types of vestibular problems, it’s not always the miracle-cure many patients are hoping for. In this episode of the ICU (“I See You”) podcast, hosts Cynthia Ryan (VeDA Executive Director) and Kimberly Warner (Unfixed Media Founder & Director) explore what works and what doesn’t when it comes […]

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VEDA - Published Wed Apr 19 2023 16:38    View Full Story...

This is a transcript from the 2022 Life Rebalanced Live (LRL) Virtual Conference on the topic of “Vestibu.” Learn more about this annual conference at vestibular.org/LRL.   Dr. Danielle Tolman, PT  00:02 Welcome, and thank you for joining the Vestibular Disorders Association for day three of our second annual virtual conference Life Rebalanced Live. I’m Dr. Danielle Tolman and I’ll be your host alongside my partner, Dr. Abbie Ross. We are Vestibular physical therapist with balancing act rehabilitation members of VEDA’s board of directors and self-proclaimed Vestibular holics.   Dr. Abbie Ross, PT, NCS  00:24 We’ve had a great first couple of days with some really good information presented, awesome questions from our attendees, and some relatable experiences shared with us from our patient panels. So we’d like to thank you for joining us for both days one and two, and also for being here with us on day three. […]

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VEDA - Published Wed Apr 19 2023 16:09    View Full Story...