Is your world spinning out of control?
Vertigo is the medical name for the condition that causes many people to experience dizziness, but few people ever treat it. The condition can be described as a spinning or rotating sensation even though you are not moving. One kind of vertigo is called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
BPPV is responsible for up to 35% of all reported cases of dizziness. BPPV can be caused by a blow to the head, allergies, flu-like episodes, or even ear infections.
Physical Therapists can fix the problem using simple, painless techniques. One of them is called the Epley Maneuver. It works by repositioning displaced calcium crystals in the inner-ear.
According to research, 95% of patients with BPPV who are treated with the Epley Maneuver feel immediate relief from the spinning and the dizziness without any harmful side effects. For some patients, they must be treated with the Epley maneuver more than once to experience the full effect.
At Central Physical Therapy, Vestibular Specialist and PT, Richard O'Quinn, has been specially trained to evaluate all causes of dizziness (vertigo) and to determine what treatments may be right for you.
Richard O'Quinn, PT is one of only three people in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area to have earned the prestigious Herdman Certification for Vestibular Rehabilitation.
The Herdman Vestibular Rehabilitation program is named after Susan J. Herdman who directs the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Emory University in Atlanta. Herdman is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in the treatment of people with vestibular deficits characterized by balance and dizziness issues.
Using advanced technology like infrared video nystagmoscopy, Richard O’Quinn PT works closely with physicians and audiologists to pinpoint each patient’s unique vertigo-related deficits. If at any point during testing there are red flags such as a possible involvement of the central nervous system, the patient will immediately be referred back to their physician. Otherwise, Richard will move ahead with a comprehensive, PT-based vestibular rehabilitation program that is customized to address each factor linked to the patient’s dizziness.
Richard utilizes his high level of training to spearhead CPT’s “Fall Prevention”program, which is designed to lower the risk of preventable, potentially-devastating injuries in people over 65. Not all seniors know fall prevention therapy is covered by Medicare. Fall prevention is one of the Herdman certification program's top areas of research.
If there's one message people from dizziness should get from this information, it's that there's no reason to suffer. There is hope for people who suffer with dizziness, balance issues, and who are at risk for devastating falls. Call Central Physical Therapy today to learn more about Richard O'Quinn PT, his advanced Herdman Certification, and treatments customized to treat your specific symptoms.
Richard O'Quinn has been a physical therapist in the Baton Rouge region for more than two decades. He has worked at Central Physical Therapy since 2011.
