3 Review(s)

Balance disorders can be the presenting featureor manifestation of medical conditions as diverseas diverse as a degenerative disease of the spinalcord, inflammation of the deep muscles of the neck,an inflammation of the peripheral nerves of thebody (peripheral neuritis), diseases of the eyes likerefractive errors, glaucoma, weakness of the eyemuscle and other eye diseases, decreased bloodsupply to the brain (vertebrobasilar insufficiency),degenerative disorders of the brain like cerebellaratrophy, ear diseases e.g., infection of the earslike labyrinthitis, collection of fluid in the innerear (meniere’s disease), etc. Vertigo can also be thepresenting symptom of many systemic disorders likemigraine (migraine related vertigo), epilepsy (epilepticvertigo), diabetes, thyroid disorders, anemia, cardiacdisorders like arrhythmias, neurocardiogenicsyncope, psychological and psychiatric disorders likedepression, panic disorders etc. The list of diseasesthat can present just with vertigo or imbalance asthe only symptom is very long.The different types of physical therapies that havebeen found to be effective in improving balancefunction are the Cawthorne Cooksey exercises, someyogic asanas and some tai chi exercises. Both tai-chiand yoga has caught the attention of neurotologists,vestibular therapists and researchers of the Westernworld and their efficacy in improving balancefunction is now undisputed and scientificallydocumented. The Cawthorne Cooksey exercises arenow accepted as the core component of all vestibularrehabilitation programs. It is believed that tai chiand yoga restore balance function by improvingpostural stability and the emotional state of thepatient. Individually all these three forms of physicaltherapies have been proved to improve and restorebalance function.The video demonstration on the Cawthorne Cookseyexercises, the asanas and the Tai-chi exerciseswhich is distributed along with this book in the formof a CD