The first eletrocnic Journal of Otolaryngology in the world
ISSN: 1809-9777

E-ISSN: 1809-4864

 
273 

Year: 2004  Vol. 8   Num. 2  - Abr/Jun - (7º)
Section: Original Article
 
Balance Disturbances of Vascular Origin: Medication or Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Author(s):
Juliana Sznifer*, Roseli Moreira Saraiva Bittar**, Maria Elisabete Bovino Pedalini***, Maria Cecília Lorenzi****, Tanit Ganz Sanchez*****.
Key words:
vestibular rehabilitation, dizziness, elderly, balance, vascular disease.
Abstract:

Introduction: Although Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) is effective in the elderly, these patients usually undergo drug therapy, reinforcing the doubt about the real benefits of VR and medications. Objective: This study has the purpose of evaluating the effect of the VR and drugs in patients with vestibular disorders associated to vascular dysfunction, using them isolated or in association. Methods: 30 were randomly divided in 3 groups respectively treated with VR, medication (pentoxifylline) and VR associated with pentoxifylline. The method used was based on Cawthorne (1944) and adapted by Pedalini; Bittar (1999), composed by orientations and exercises. The quantification of complaints was done through the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Results: We observed that the groups treated with isolated VR or with the association of VR and pentoxifylline presented a significant clinical improvement by the evaluation of numerical indexes of the total physical, emotional and functional DHI. Comparatively, there was no significant difference between the group treated only with VR and the one which was treated with the association of VR and pentoxifylline. Conclusions: We concluded that the VR is an effective method of treating patients suffering from an unbalance condition due to vascular problems.

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