Deborah Heart and Lung Center has recently opened a new Balance Center designed to diagnosis and treat dizziness or balance issues.  These two symptoms alone, especially in the elderly population are one of the most common causes of injuries and hospitalization in the United States. The result of being dizzy and falling causes numerous broken bones, brain injuries, and accidental deaths each year. Deborah’s new Balance Center uses a team approach to identify the source of the problem and implement the best treatment options, offering the latest screening and diagnostic services for testing in the assessment of dizziness and balance impairments.  This series of test has been designed to offer painless evaluation that can quickly pinpoint one of the many causes of these problems.

According to John Hill, RRT, Respiratory Director at Deborah, the new Balance Center is a welcome addition to the hospital’s services. “We have been seeing an increased incidence of people with lightheadedness and dizziness,” he said. “Putting the Balance Center together was a priority for Deborah, including it with the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations patient safety initiatives and suitable as a comprehensive program for quality patient care.”

Hill said that typical patients in the Balance Center are referred because of similar symptoms including dizziness, lightheadedness and problems judging distance. Once scheduled in the Balance Center a number of specific tests are done. These include Nystagmography, Ocular Motility, Optokinetic Nystagmus, Positional Nystagmus and Caloric Tests.

“People shouldn’t take for granted that dizzy spells are a natural part of getting old,” he added. “Most of the time there is an actual treatable condition that has simply not been diagnosed.”

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 1-609-893-1200 ext. 4392 or 4390.