Considering the need to improve elderly's quality of life the high incidence of complaints related to equilibrium disturbance in this age group, this study aimed to evaluate the static and dynamic equilibrium of elderly who complain of dizziness and verify the individualized vestibular rehabilitation, comparing dizziness handicap inventory - DHI (handicap questionnaire) score before starting to exercise and at the moment of discharge or after 12 rehabilitation sessions. Eleven individuals aged sixty years or more participated in this research, undergoing otoneurologic diagnostic, composed by otorrinilaringologic assessment, audiologic, electron vector tomography an extras exams if needed. The main complaints were dizziness, lack of equilibrium and droppings. All patients were diagnosed with peripheral vestibular syndrome, being ten irritative and one one-sided. It can be noticed that in most cases the symptoms disappeared or decreased. Except for two patients who presented diseases associated or had not followed the orientations. The individualized vestibular rehabilitation has proved to be an effective therapeutic procedure in elderly and DHI an important tool in following patient's evolution.
Aging; Labyrinth; Rehabilitation; Quality of Life; Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases
