In the midst of the brutally cold winter, Susan Smith was salting her snow-capped driveway when she suddenly slipped and fell.
Her accident landed Smith a trip to the nearest emergency department where she was treated for a cut on her head and was told she had suffered a concussion. Smith’s CT scan results showed northing severe. However, she still suffered dizziness from her concussion. She began to notice changes in her ability to function normally. Simple tasks like bending over to pick something up would cause her to become extremely dizzy.
“I thought it would correct itself,” explains Smith. “When it got to be August, I thought, wow, I should probably get this checked out.”
Community Hospital’s Outpatient Physical Therapy Department and the Dizziness and Balance Center at Fitness Pointe specialize in providing therapy to patients who experience dizziness caused by vestibular or neurological conditions, such as stroke or multiple sclerosis.
“Vestibular therapy is an excellent tool to resolve dizziness and improve balance,” explains Priscilla Mulesa, PT, MS, GCS. “Patients need to be checked by a doctor first to diagnose the condition then go to a therapist specializing in vestibular rehabilitation for treatment.”
Smith had five sessions with Mulesa and her dizziness and imbalance resolved. As she progressed through therapy, she was given a printout on how to do therapeutic repositioning exercises at home.
“I haven’t had a dizzy spell since the week prior to my last appointment,” Smith says. “Everybody was very helpful and extremely kind.”
To learn more about vestibular therapy, visit the Dizziness and Balance Center at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe.
