Historical Perspective of “How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going” in the Rehabilitation of Patients With Vestibular Hypofunction
Purpose Vestibular rehabilitation for patients with vestibular hypofunction is a relatively new clinical specialty, with effective therapies developing over the last 40 years for the most common peripheral vestibular disorders. This chapter illustrates the evolution of treatments used for the wide variety of vestibular disorders that we now recognize and takes us back to the origins of some of the assessment tools that we use to make a diagnosis. The chapter will also explore the current status of this field and the potential areas into which vestibular rehabilitation may grow. Conclusions In reality, the origins of various treatments date back almost 100 years, and the development of assessment tools dates back several hundred years. Today, as physical and occupational therapists who specialize in the management of people with dizziness and vestibular disorders and audiologists who test and analyze the function of the vestibular system, we do so with the confidence that our efforts will be beneficial to the patient. This is largely because of the availability of clinical research—systematic analyses of published research and clinical practice guidelines that support the decisions that we make about diagnoses and treatment. It is important to remember, however, that the skills now used in vestibular rehabilitation are based on generations of observation, deduction, and opinion that gradually evolved into the body of knowledge that we have today.