The Balance Center of Las Vegas is collecting toys for the Holidays. Toys will be donated to Safe Nest. Please stop in and bring your unwrapped toy! Thank you for your generosity!

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Campaign for Fall Prevention

In the Fall, the leaves fall, the temperatures fall, let’s work together to keep our patients from falling!

 Approximately one third of older American’s fall each year.  Injuries from falls can result in hospitalization, nursing home admissions and even death. 

 The chance of falling increases with age, not because of the number but because of what comes with age…disease processes, prescription medication use, and reduced body system function ie:  reduced vision, reduced hearing, circulation issues, arthritis, etc.  All these factors contribute to falls…patients do not have to present with dizziness and imbalance to be a fall risk.

 All older adults should be questioned about falls.  The frequency and mechanisms of the falls should be reviewed and a risk assessment performed.

 If a fall has occurred and the patient cannot perform a standard balance test, skilled Physical Therapy should be strongly considered.  A Physical Therapy Evaluation at The Balance Center of Las Vegas can rate an individual’s fall risk as well as identifying the underlying causes behind the risk.

 Dr. Lloyd B Minor, M.D., from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, reports that recent government estimates show fatal falls in the elderly cost the US Medicare program $1 Billion dollars in hospital charges and those who survive but have injuries cost an additional $19 Billion!

 Dr. Minor strongly recommends that Balance Testing be a part of Basic Primary Care and all Physicians should be monitoring and screening their patients for fall risk.

 Sure, one more thing to do in an already busy office!  The good news is there’s an easy solution.  Rhomberg testing takes seconds and can safe a life.  Please refer to our Rhomberg Guidelines for Test Protocol and Norms. 

Let’s work together so our patients will learn to call before they fall!

The Balance Center of Las Vegas will observe

 National Fall Prevention Day September 23, 2011

 A Fall Prevention Workshop will be held  

September 23, 2011

Noon -2:00 pm 

at  

The Balance Center of Las Vegas

321 N Buffalo Suite 110

Las Vegas, NV 89145 

Please RSVP to 702-341-0606 

Topics include 

• Fall prevention
• What to do after you fall
• Exercises to prevent falls

 Light refreshments will be provided

Physical Therapy Role in Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation

Unlike most other neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke, there is no “fixed deficit” in MS; symptom profile, lesion burden on MRI, and disease course vary over time. Therapists must be prepared to treat each MS patient individually, and with flexibility, over the long term. In Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation, there are no protocols or time limits—just a unique opportunity to employ numerous problem-solving skills, interventions, and resources. And because MS affects not just an individual, but a whole family, it is a disease that benefits from a team approach as in Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation— making coordination and communication with other health care providers extremely important. 

Interventions throughout the Disease Course by Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation

At the Time of Diagnosis

Patients newly diagnosed with MS benefit from education, support and a baseline evaluation by an experienced PT. At this time, misunderstandings about the disease and its management, the importance of appropriate exercise/activity, fatigue issues, and any subtle gait or balance impairments can be addressed. Follow up should be on an “as needed” basis by Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation.

Following Acute Exacerbations

Physical therapy following an acute exacerbation (also called a relapse or attack) should have the goal of carefully helping the person return to baseline functioning. It is customary to wait two weeks after the attack before starting or resuming outpatient PT, because of weakness, lack of sleep from IV steroids, or other factors.

Progressive Disease

Patients with primary-progressive MS do not have remissions; their functioning declines gradually, but steadily, over time. Patients who transition from relapsing-remitting MS to secondary-progressive MS are not able to return to baseline (due to progression of the disease that occurs between exacerbations) and demonstrate a slow decline in function. Because both groups have a huge emotional burden in addition to their physical challenges, physicians are encouraged to refer a person proactively to PT rather than waiting until he or she is struggling. Focus should be on support, resourcing, avoiding de-conditioning, maintaining safety, and maximizing health and independent function. Assessment of the need for mobility aids now and in the future is essential for these patients, and it is especially beneficial for the PT to assist the physician in assuring that the appropriate detailed prescription or letter of medical necessity (LOMN) is provided.

Advanced MS

Patients in advanced stages of MS have significant disease burden, are non-ambulatory, and at risk for other secondary health conditions. Physical therapy for this population will likely be focused on seated trunk positioning and control, transfers, upper extremity strength, respiratory function, and equipment needs. The use of standing devices or standing wheelchairs can be very helpful, providing weight bearing on the long bones, stretching to ease spasticity, relief for bowel and bladder, and improved respiration and speech projection.

The Therapists at The Balance Center of Las Vegas are specially trained to aid your MS patients in maintaining their balance and strength; specifically, during these Hot Summer Days!

It’s not your fault you fall or get dizzy!

Get the FACTS!

• Falls are one of the top 10 causes of death in the world.
• Falls account for 85% of all injuries requiring hospitalization for those over 50 years of age.
• 60% of falls occur at home.
• One Quarter of all hip fracture patients die within 12 months due to the injury or its complications.
• One Fifth of injuries from falls are spinal cord injuries or head injuries.
• Common injuries from falls are fractures of the hip, spine or forearm.
• Hip fractures from falls lead to greatest amount of health problems and death.
• Women have the most hip fractures (80%).
• 50% of people over 65 years of age will fall in a given year.
• Injury rates from falls in people over 65 years of age increase 9 times.
• Women over 65 years of age are two times more likely to require hospitalization after a fall.
• People 85 years of age or older are 10 to 15 times more likely to fracture a hip than those 60 to 65 years of age.
• 3 out of 4 nursing home patients fall each year.
• If fallen once, a person’s fall rate recurrence is 2.6 times more likely.

Get educated, get balance therapy, and get a balanced chance of living a longer healthier life!

Wow! What a wonderful event the MS Society held on April 9, 2011.  The walk was great and the atmosphere was charged! The Balance Center of Las Vegas and friends raised $4,139(and still counting till June)!  Thanks to everyone that sponsored, volunteered, walked, donated, and cheered us on!  We had a great turn out for our Balance Builders team!

Medical Dizziness

Medications are a common contributor to dizziness and ataxia (see Table 1) as elderly patients are often on multiple drugs, which place them at high risk for these side effects. 

In fact, medications are the most common cause of symptomatic orthostatic hypotension as well as hypoglycemia. 

Did you know that 35% of people with vestibular disorders under the age of 65 and 39% of patients with vestibular disorders over the age of 65 report falls prior to being sent for Physical Therapy?  Watch out for your health! Doctors cannot read your mind and they see many patients in one day.  Be proactive, watch out for your loved ones and your friends.  If you notice them stumbling, falling, or acting a little off balance, have them notify their doctor and ask for a balance screening  or call The Balance Center of Las Vegas for a free balance screening!  You may need to ask for physical therapy if your doctor does not prescribe this therapy for you.  It is in your best interest to fix any problems before they become tragic. With proper testing, problems can be identified and corrected prior to a fall that may result in nursing home confinement or worse death.

If you have further questions about Free Balance Screening please call us at 702-341-0606.

When you experience a sudden change in air pressure, your ears are usually your body’s first barometer to alert you tot he change.  As your ears try to adjust, you notice a feeling of fullness or pressure that occurs in your Eustacian tube and middle ear chamber.

Sudden air pressure changes are most commonly noticed during air travel, particularly during take-offs and landings.  Often, quick relief anc be found by simply swallowing, drinking liquid, chewing gum or yawning. Some people prefer to hold their nose and p”pop” their ears. Others find relief by opening their mouth and wiggling their jaw.

Sometimes these easy remedies don’t always work and additional help is required to avoid more serious risks from sudden air pressure changes.

For example, people who have congestion from allergies, colds or a sinus or ear infection may not be able to clear their ears.  In these cases, exposure to sudden air pressure changes can lead to ear pain, fluid or blood behind the ear drum, and even a ruptured ear drum.  According to House Clinic Otologist M. Jennifer Derebery, M.D., “This is because the swollen Eustachian tube may not be able to equilibrate the air pressure in the middle ear with the outside air pressure.”  She adds that some people with congestion “benefit by pretreating with pseudoephedrine and/0r topical decongestant nasal sprays, like Afrin or neosynephrine, before a flight.”

Besides congesiton, Dr. Derebery points out other medical issues such as scar tissue, nasal obstruction from polyps, and adenoidal hypertrophy in small children–also can cause problems in alleviating ear pressure.  In fact, “kids don’t develop normal {Eustachian tube} function until puberty, so any child may have problems, even if she or he is normal,”says Dr. Derebery.  “For persistent problems , an ENT doctor may recommend making an incision in the eardrum (Myringotomy) and/or insertion of pressure relieving tubes that can stay in place for months to even years.”

Dr. Derebery recommends visiting an ENT physician or Otologist if you experience significant pain after or during a flight, experience change in hearing after a flight or if there is discharge coming of out of the ear.  “If people know they usually have problems, they should get a physician’s diagnosis and see if pre-emptive treatment may help.”

This article was reprinted from www.hei.org/education/health/airpressure.htm