Neurology & Vestibular Physiotherapy Outpatients
On this page:
Location
Entrance A, 1st Floor, St John’s Therapy Centre
Opening hours
Monday 08:30 – 17:30
Tuesday 08:30 – 17:30
Wednesday 08:30 – 17:30
Thursday 08:30 – 18:30
Friday 08:30 – 17:00
Vestibular & Balance Rehabilitation
We are an internationally recognised service providing assessment and evidence-based treatment for dizziness and balance disorders. Patients with vestibular disorders usually access our service following referral from the Audiovestibular Clinic or elsewhere if you have been fully investigated.
Vestibular rehabilitation consists of specific eye and head exercises, walking exercises, balance exercises, clinical manoeuvres and counselling/education about dizziness. Not all balance problems are the same and so not everyone will do every exercise. Exercises are progressed as you improve so you become less dizzy over time. The physiotherapists at St George’s are trained to customise exercises for best recovery. We treat a range of conditions including:
- Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
- Age related vestibular loss and falls
- Autoimmune inner ear disease
- Bilateral Vestibulopathy (e.g. caused by medications that harm the inner ear)
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
- Central vestibular disorders (e.g. brainstem/cerebellar stroke or demyelination)
- Mal De Debarquement
- Meniere’s Disease
- PPPD (Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness)
- Vestibular Migraine
- Vestibular Neuritis / Labyrinthitis (Unilateral Vestibulopathy)
- Visually-induced dizziness
We have particular expertise working with people who have complex and sometimes long-standing difficulties. We can treat people with significant disability and those suffering from associated anxiety or distress. Our service is time limited, focuses on recovery and aims to help people develop skills and feel empowered to manage their problems independently.
BPPV SOS Clinic
Following your treatment in clinic for BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) your notes may be held by the vestibular physiotherapy department to enable you to return at any time should your symptoms return.
If you have any vertigo sensations (feeling like you or the room is spinning) you can call the physiotherapy department on 020 8725 3013 between 8:30 and 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Outside of these times you may leave a message on the answer phone with your name and contact number and we will call you back as soon as possible. If appropriate following our phone discussion we will make an appointment for you to attend the physiotherapy department for treatment of your BPPV. We will aim to see you within 1-2 weeks of our telephone call.
BPPV information Leaflet
Hyperlink
GME_BPPV_01.pdf (stgeorges.nhs.uk)
Neurological Rehabilitation
The goal of neurological rehabilitation is to help you return to the highest level of function and independence possible, while improving your overall quality of life. Our service is time limited and we do not provide home-based services. We see a range of neurological conditions such as:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neuron disease)
- Ataxia and gait disorders
- Bell’s palsy
- Functional neurological disorders
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuromuscular and related diseases
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
A neurological rehabilitation programme is designed to meet your individual needs, depending on your specific problem or disease. Treatment may include:
- Activities to improve mobility (movement), muscle control, strength, gait (walking), and balance
- Exercise programmes to improve movement, prevent or decrease weakness caused by lack of use, manage spasticity and pain, and maintain range of motion
- Group exercises classes
- Provide assistive devices that promote independence
- Education
Hydrotherapy
The Hydrotherapy pool at St Georges hospital is closed. We are therefore unable to offer hydrotherapy at this time.
Clinical trials and research
We are continuously involved in expanding our knowledge of clinical disorders that cause balance complaints and the best way to treat them. We therefore have on-going research studies and if you are interested in participating please ask your physiotherapist about our current studies.
Contact details
If you wish to discuss a referral: Physiotherapy 020 8725 3013
To rearrange an appointment: Central bookings service 020 8725 0007
Referrals
Please attach by email – Referral email: therapiesbookinghub@stgeorges.nhs.uk
