Although the cause of bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) is frequently unknown, ototoxicity due to gentamicin or other aminoglycosides is the most commonly identified cause of BVH; other causes include Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, meningitis, autoimmune disease, and iatrogenic damage due to cochlear …

What causes bilateral vestibular hypofunction?

Although the cause of bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) is frequently unknown, ototoxicity due to gentamicin or other aminoglycosides is the most commonly identified cause of BVH; other causes include Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, meningitis, autoimmune disease, and iatrogenic damage due to cochlear …

How is bilateral vestibular hypofunction treated?

The treatment approach for patients with complete loss of vestibular function involves the combined use of gaze stabilization exercises and exercises that foster the substitution of visual and somatosensory information to improve postural stability and the development of compensatory strategies that can be used in …

Can gentamicin cause ototoxicity?

Conclusions: Gentamicin ototoxicity is vestibular, not cochlear, producing permanent loss of balance, but not of hearing. Gentamicin can be vestibulotoxic in any dose, in any regimen, at any serum level.

What can cause vestibular hypofunction?

Aetiology/Causes

Idiopathic(51%)
Trauma Head trauma, iatrogenic (e.g. bilateral cochlear implantation)
Other ear pathology Bilateral Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis, bilateral labyrinthitis, cholesteatoma
Congenital/syndromal CHARGE, Usher, Turner, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, Alport syndrome

Can vestibular hypofunction be cured?

There’s no cure, but you may be able to manage symptoms with medications and vestibular rehabilitation.

How long does vestibular hypofunction last?

As a general guide, persons without significant comorbidities that affect mobility and with acute or subacute unilateral vestibular hypofunction may need once a week supervised sessions for 2 to 3 weeks; persons with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction may need once a week sessions for 4 to 6 weeks; and persons …

What are two serious side effects of gentamicin?

Serious side effects of gentamicin include:

  • Ringing or roaring sounds in the ear.
  • Hearing loss.
  • Dizziness.
  • An unusual decrease in the amount of urine while using gentamicin injection (pediatric)

How is bilateral vestibulopathy treated?

Treatment of bilateral vestibulopathy has included vestibular rehabilitation and employing falls prevention strategies; nevertheless, many patients fail to improve or even worsen over time. Newer treatments including hair cell regeneration and vestibular implants may provide benefit, and clinical trials are ongoing.

Is there a cure for vestibular hypofunction?

How quickly do VOR exercises work?

In most cases you will notice a benefit within one week. It is possible for the dizziness to return and you may need to repeat the exercise. You may feel nauseous or even dizzier immediately after doing this exercise.

Can gentamicin cause vestibular hypofunction?

Although the cause of bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) is frequently unknown, ototoxicity due to gentamicin or other aminoglycosides is the most commonly identified cause of BVH; other causes include Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, meningitis, autoimmune disease and iatrogenic damage due to cochlear implantation or other surgeries3–5.

What are the signs and symptoms of bilateral vestibular hypofunction?

Patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction are primarily concerned with their balance and gait problems. During the acute stage, they may feel off balance even when lying or sitting down. More typically, however, their balance problems become obvious only when they are standing or walking.

What is the global prevalence of vestibular hypofunction?

This equates to a prevalence of 64,046 cases of severe-to-profound bilateral vestibular hypofunction in the United States, and 1.8 million worldwide (by extrapolation of U.S. estimates to the 2008 world population).

How does vestibular dysfunction affect normal postural stability while walking?

Normal postural stability while walking requires the combined use of at least two of three sensory cues (visual, vestibular, somatosensory). Patients who have no vestibular function, therefore, will have difficulty when either visual or somatosensory cues are also significantly decreased (e.g., walking in the dark).