“Vertigo Training: An Effective, Free Online Treatment for Long-Term Dizziness”

Dizziness is one of the most common complaints for which people visit their general practitioner. 1 in 4 people experience dizziness at some point. This is even 50% for people over 85. Dizziness is caused by a disturbance in the balance system. Prolonged dizziness is a very annoying complaint that can have a major impact on the lives of patients.

Better than drugs

There are no effective drugs available for prolonged dizziness. Nevertheless, GPs still prescribe medication, such as betahistine, for about 1 in 10 patients with dizziness. The exercise therapy ‘vestibular rehabilitation’, in which patients restore their vestibular system with movements of the eyes, head and body, has been scientifically proven, but is still hardly used.

Completely free

To increase the use of exercise therapy, general practitioner researchers from Amsterdam UMC developed an online version in 2019, called Vertigo Training. With the help of a ZonMw grant and in collaboration with the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) and patient organization Stichting Hoormij•NVVS, we have now succeeded in including this online treatment in the national guideline. It is available free of charge to all people with long-term vertigo in the Netherlands.

Less workload for the doctor

General practitioner researcher and project leader Vincent van Vugt: “It is great to finally be able to make this underexposed treatment for long-term dizziness accessible to everyone. Primary care is currently under pressure. As a doctor myself, I experience this myself. With Vertigo Training, patients can immediately get started with the complaints themselves. This reduces the patient’s dizziness and relieves the GP’s burden.”

From your own home

According to GP-in-training and PhD student Hà Ngo, patients are looking forward to online treatment: “Patients are happy that they can now receive treatment without having to travel. Dizziness can make your world small. Even driving can be difficult.” That is why Sandra Rutgers of Stichting Hoormij•NVVS is also enthusiastic about the online exercise therapy: “Prolonged dizziness is a very annoying complaint. It is fantastic that people can now practice at home themselves in this way.”

By: National Care Guide