1. How did you become 'The Dizzy Doctor'?
I was always fascinated by the vestibular system in PT school. When I started working, I took on every patient with dizziness I could. I craved more and dove right into extensive continuing education to learn more about this specialty and the various diagnoses involved. Following the birth of my first child, I left my full-time PT position and switched to an as-needed basis covering shifts at multiple clinics. Because I wouldn’t see people with dizziness on a regular basis anymore, I created an Instagram account called The Dizzy Doctor (@thedizzydr) as a creative and educational outlet for myself. Several months later, I was contacted by someone who was interested in therapy with me and I wanted to help. I did not have a location at the time, but knowing how beneficial physical therapy would be for him I offered to see him in his home—a mobile clinic.
2. What is something you would like people to know about your business?
I take a whole-body approach to treating dizziness. The care provided at my office is unique in both the amount of time I get to spend with my patients and the treatments I utilize. I provide an honest assessment and only schedule someone if they are appropriate for my services. The outcomes have truly been amazing.
3. What types of symptoms do you treat?
The list is extensive, but in short, dizziness is an umbrella term to describe many sensations such as; room spinning dizziness, internal sense of spinning, feeling disconnected from your body, feeling like your eyes can’t keep up with your head, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety with dizziness, feeling like you have sea-legs, motion sickness, and others.
4. How does one experiencing dizziness know if you can help?
If they experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, they are a good candidate to come in for an examination. People often experience dizziness that they are not aware of or don’t recognize as such. It doesn’t hurt to come in and get tested!
5. Can you treat all dizziness?
I can treat a lot of dizziness but not all. Some dizziness can be from medications, malformations of the inner ear structure, or greater issues with the brain. When I evaluate patients, I screen for these potential causes and then work towards determining if their symptoms are from their vestibular system. I continue to build a referral network of trusted providers as vestibular care requires a good team!
7. Can you give an example of someone you have helped?
This is my favorite question and one that about brings me to tears. The impact this business has had on others is why I do what I do.
I worked with a 39-year-old female struggling with what she thought was chronic sinus infections in addition to post-concussion syndrome. She started working with me, and within a couple of visits had drastically decreased the severity of her symptoms, eliminated daily brain fog, and has been able to resume a normal workout routine. These improvements have made a huge difference in her life.
People often experience dizziness that they are not aware of or don’t recognize as such. It doesn’t hurt to come in and get tested!
