Audiologist Robertson certified in balance disorder treatment

LACONIA — Laura O. Robertson, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, has achieved certification for the evaluation and treatment of vestibular disorders. Instruction, examination and certification were provided by the American Institute of Balance. AIB training is recognized by the American Institute of Continuing Medical Education. Dr. Robertson attended a course taught by Dr. Richard Gans, Ph.D., and Darren Kurtzer, Ph.D. While AIB is located in Clearwater, Florida, Robertson attended a course held in the Bronx, New York, in mid-November.

Patients with equilibrium disorders do not have to be told “Learn to live with it.” There are successful management strategies which can allow them to return to normal lives. As the risk of falls increases significantly with age, it is vital to manage balance problems to keep people able to live in their own homes. Falls lead to loss of independence. Balance-related falls are the leading cause of accidental death in individuals over 65. Dizziness is the most common health complaint stated by people aged 70 or older.

Trouble with balance can begin in childhood. It may be related to conditions present at birth. By age 8 and into the 30s, there is a risk of concussion while participating in physical activities. By puberty and into the 50s migraine symptoms may develop. A quarter of individuals with migraine will experience vertigo as an aura, either with or without headache. By 50 and up, shingles may trigger vestibular neuritis, a common cause of vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo for people 50 and over but it can occur at any age. It is completely curable with one to two treatments! If you have BPPV, you likely experience moments of spinning that make you feel you might fall off the edge of the world. BPPV is triggered by movement. Many folks try to live with it by avoiding the movement that triggers it. BPPV is also brief and usually lasts less than a minute when it occurs.

The AIB Partners in Balance program consists of diagnosis based strategies. These strategies are exercise protocols which have been modified and adapted from numerous sources. The protocols are evidence based and have been proven to be highly effective in the treatment of vestibular conditions. Thousands of patients have been treated at AIB and elsewhere by AIB trained clinicians. Although people with orthopedic or neurologically based balance disorders may also obtain some benefit, the AIB protocols may not be as effective for those causes.

Treatment is most successful when performed within a multidisciplinary approach. Key members of the evaluation and rehabilitation team may include: physicians, audiologists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists and other allied health specialists. Communicating to your health care provider about your dizziness or balance problem is vital. A review of your medications is the first step toward finding improvement. If a solution is not easily identified, then it is time to ask for a referral or visit your audiologist for further care.

Robertson is located at Audiology Specialists, LLC, 211 S. Main St., in Laconia; 603-528-7700; www.audiologyspecialists.com.

Darren Kurtzer, Ph.D., from the American Institute of Balance, taught the class Laura Robertson attended on treating balance disorders. (Courtesy photo)