Vestibular Disorders and Work 

Vestibular symptoms can make working full or part time very difficult. In my experience a majority of people with vestibular disorders report being limited in their ability to get through work tasks with their current symptoms. Many either work more hours to get their tasks done, have an increase in symptoms or both. This is where work accommodations can help you get back to your daily routine while keeping your symptoms manageable. 

Under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) reasonable workplace accommodations are to be made for those with a disability. 1 According to the Job Accommodation Network, a person qualifies as someone with a disability if they have  “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment. “ 1 Based on this definition, your vestibular disorder qualifies you under the ADA to request changes at your job to get you back to work while managing your symptoms. If you’d like to learn more about the ADA, The ADA National Network provides a breakdown of the ADA. It discusses who qualifies, ideas of what is considered a reasonable accommodation, how to start the process, and additional resources and contact information for further questions. 2 

Vestibular disorders have a wide range of symptoms which makes it important to tailor your workplace accommodations to what you specifically need. The Job Accommodations Network  provides a few questions to help identify barriers currently at your job to help you prepare a thorough request to your employer. It also has some general accommodations to consider and help you brainstorm what will work best for you. Below are some tips to help you get back to work: 

1. Blue light blocking glasses or screen covers (We like Avulux glasses because they’re backed by research!)
2. Small rest breaks throughout the day
3. Move your desk to a quiet area 
4. Flexible scheduling to pace out more challenging tasks