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✦ The Dispatch

Effectiveness of vestibular electrical stimulation combined with vestibular rehabilitation in chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction: A randomized controlled trial

A dispatch from PubMed — filed

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of vestibular electrical stimulation (VES) combined with vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH).

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

If the trial shows significant benefit of combined vestibular electrical stimulation plus rehabilitation over rehabilitation alone, audiologists and vestibular specialists should consider discussing this adjunct therapy for chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction patients — but full results and effect sizes must be reviewed before adoption.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Vestibular electrical stimulation is a relatively novel adjunct for vestibular rehabilitation, and an RCT directly testing its added value over standard care addresses a meaningful gap in evidence for chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction management.

✦ Key Points ✦
  1. 01RCT design (highest quality of individual study evidence) comparing combined vestibular electrical stimulation + rehabilitation vs. rehabilitation alone.
  2. 02Target population: patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction (one-sided balance organ impairment lasting more than 3 months).
  3. 03Published in Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2026.
  4. 04Vestibular electrical stimulation is a non-invasive adjunct technique aimed at enhancing neural compensation.
  5. 05Outcome measures likely include balance, dizziness, and functional disability scales.
✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

Vestibular electrical stimulation combined with vestibular rehabilitation is more effective than rehabilitation alone for chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction.

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✦ Research metadata ✦
PMID
42780095
DOI
10.4274/tftrd.2026.17374.
Journal
Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Publication type
research_article
Evidence level
1b
Population
Patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction
Intervention
Vestibular electrical stimulation combined with vestibular rehabilitation
Comparator
Vestibular rehabilitation alone

Primary outcomes

Vestibular function outcomes; Dizziness-related disability; Balance performance

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