The Effect of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Vestibular Disorders

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study was to increase the participants' satisfaction with the unilateral peripheral vestibular pathology, in addition to the exercise program, with galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS). Methods: Participants were divided into 2 groups: study group (41 subjects) and control group (32 subjects). Participants who underwent videonystagmography and sensory organization testing, which were objective test methods at the beginning, were invited to check in every week for 6 weeks to perform GVS and/or exercise in the exercise program. Objective tests were repeated at the end of the sixth week. A visual analog scale (VAS) was administered every week. Results: Unilateral weakness, balance scores 4, 5, 6; visual, vestibular, preference and strategy scores 5, 6; center of gravity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; composite scores were different between the groups after rehabilitation (p < 0.05). In terms of VAS, the study group began to feel better at the end of the first week than the control group (p < 0.01). Discussion/Conclusion: It was found that the study group benefited both from an objective and a subjective point of view more than participants in the control group.