A ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year one in every three adults age 65 and older falls.These falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death.
At the Center for Balance at Raritan Bay Medical Center (RBMC), an experienced team of multidisciplinary professionals diagnose and provide treatment for a full range of balance disorders, including; dizziness, vertigo and difficulty judging distance.The center’s diagnostic capabilities include a number of advanced and comprehensive tests that involve assessing all aspects of a patient’s vestibular system.This diagnostic testing had only been available at the medical center’s Perth Amboy location, but is now also available at RBMC’s Old Bridge location. Balance testing and treatment is covered by most insurance plans. Call 732-324-5030 to make an appointment or receive a brochure. Complete testing takes about one hour to complete.
The center’s board-certified co-medical directors, neurologist Farooq Rehman, M.D., and otolaryngologist Vicente Zapanta, M.D., interpret all results and determine treatment recommendations. Options may include medical treatment and/or vestibular rehabilitation therapy at one of four convenient outpatient physical therapy locations: at RBMC in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge,Victoria House in
Matawan and the Medical Pavilion at Woodbridge.
A patient coordinator navigates patients through each step of their testing and treatment, including educating them about their balance disorder, explaining treatment options, scheduling appointments and streamlining follow-up care. Anyone experiencing one or more of the following symptoms may benefit from services:
dizziness, lightheadedness or feeling unsteady
difficulty getting up from a chair or out of bed
numbness or loss of sensation in the legs
loss of balance when standing still, walking or both
needing to lean on something when walking
The center operates within the auspices of RBMC’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department and its Human Motion Institute, providing patients with a full range of orthopedic and rehabilitation services. For more information, visit www.rbmc.org.