Photo: left to right:Mia Williams and Kristin Rice-Council
Richmond, Tx– Do you sometimes feel that you are on a carnival ride with your world going round and round? Do you get dizzy when you jump out of bed or stand up or turn around too quickly? At OakBend Medical Center’s rehabilitation clinic, they frequently hear patients ask… “Do I have the Vertigo?” or the common complaint “Every time I move, my world is spinning and I can’t stand up!” Does this sound familiar to you or someone you know? In some cases, just a few positional maneuvers can help “reset” your world upright again.
Many people have seen Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Vertigo where Jimmy Stewart has difficulty running up the tower to save Kim Novak because his world is spinning out of control. Vertigo is an imbalance of a person’s Equilibrium, specifically the Vestibular System. The Vestibular System is a person’s internal compass, located in the inner ear that tells your head which way is up. Disturbances to the Vestibular System can linger for a few seconds or become chronic. Simple daily activities such as dressing, walking, or sitting up from bed can become terrifying due to the fear of having a vertigo spell. The fear of falling from dizziness can also become debilitating which may impact your quality of life or even rob you of your independence. Fortunately, in most cases this does not have to happen.
Many types of vertigo are treatable by Certified Vestibular Therapists. It may take several sessions or, in some cases, can be relieved in only one treatment. Receiving vestibular rehab therapy early has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence, and significantly reduce the risk and fear of falling. OakBend Medical Center has two certified vestibular therapists, Mia Williams and Kristi Rice-Council. These therapists are trained to help patients discover how vertigo is affecting their lives and what can be done to treat the cause.
If you are having these types of experiences, don’t delay. Speak with your doctor and explain your symptoms; he or she can write you a prescription for therapy for Vertigo/Dizziness. You don’t have to live with certain types of dizziness and having treatment from Certified Vestibular Therapists can set your world upright again!