Investigation of the effects of vestibular rehabilitation and taVNS on dizziness, balance and kinesiophobia in patients with vestibular hypofunction

Tuğba Türk Kalkan, Devrim Tarakçı, Gamze Kılıç, Cengiz Çelikyurt
Purpose:

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) on the vestibüler symptoms of unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH).

Methods:

Methods: Forty patients diagnosed with UVH were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 received vestibular rehabilitation. Group 2 received taVNS and vestibular rehabilitation. Both groups received treatment one day a week for eight weeks. Before and after the treatment; balance of the participants was assessed with Modified-CTSIB (M-CTSIB), dizziness severity with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), kinesiophobia with Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS).

Results:

At the end of eight weeks, patients in Group 2 showed significantly greater improvements in balance, dizziness, and kinesiophobia compared to patients in Group 1. According to m-CTSIB results; patients in Group 2 showed significant improvement (p0.01), while the improvement in Group 1 was not statistically significant. According to the VAS and TKS results; patients in Group 2 showed significantly more improvement compared to patients in Group 1 (p0.01), (p0.05).

Conclusion(s):

The positive effects of taVNS on vestibular symptoms have been observed. 

Implications:

Our study conclusively demonstrates the positive effect of taVNS treatment in patients with UVH. As a new approach, taVNS can be added to rehabilitation strategies to treat vestibular dysfunction.

Funding acknowledgements:
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Keywords:
vestibular rehabilitation
neuromodulation
balance
Primary topic:
Neurology
Second topic:
Disability and rehabilitation
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
This study was decided to be ethically and scientifically appropriate by the Istanbul Medipol University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee.
Provide the ethics approval number:
E-10840098-772.02-4966 on 04.10.2021.
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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