Vestibular Physical Therapy and Parkinson’s

A patient at CHC Physical Therapy reported falling out of bed when she was doing her physical therapy exercises.  The first time this happened it was viewed as an accident.  The second time it happened, within a span of one week, her physical therapist was concerned.

 At CHC Physical Therapy the physical therapists have expertise in specialized areas of wellness.  Terese Seroka is a certified Vestibular Physical Therapist.  At this visit it was determined that the patient needed to be evaluated by Terese to determine if the falling out of bed could be a vestibular problem.  During the vestibular evaluation Terese found that although there were problems ambulating due to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, the falling out of bed was not related to the poor balance when upright.  All of the falls for this patient were after turning in bed.  The turning affected the inner vestibular canals that were blocked from an undiscovered BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo).  Treatment was then added to her physical therapy program to include exercises to unclog the affected canals.  This has allowed this patient to have an increase in bed mobility without dizziness sensations and there have been no reoccurrences of falling out of bed.  By decreasing the episodes of dizziness it is improving this persons quality of life and possibly preventing further safety risks that would place this person in the Emergency Room with a serious injury and possibly not be able to continue to live alone.  And, she can now do her physical therapy exercises, lying in bed, without episodes of dizziness.