Blog
My Healing Journey
On my own healing journey, I found a root cause analysis approach very useful to improve my sense of well-being and increase my overall joy, enthusiasm and passion for life.
The Health Benefits of Nature
Have you found that when you spend time in nature you feel refreshed and a renewed sense of well-being? Dr. Bell shares her thoughts on the health benefits of nature.
Is your Diet causing Vestibular Problems to become Worse?
Dr. Bell’s diet is causing vestibular problems because she has not been focused on taking care of herself. She has reverted to the common, busy American lifestyle on-the-go and she is feeling it!
Physical Therapy Practice Focused on Dizziness and Vertigo
The Bell Method was created by a perfect intersection of my own personal health struggles as a lifelong vestibular patient falling through the cracks of the healthcare system for about 25 years, and my professional career observing how many undiagnosed vestibular patients are suffering like I have with the social, financial and psychological impact of being mismanaged and misguided.
BPPV Vertigo Can Affect Anyone at Anytime!
BPPV Vertigo can affect anyone at anytime, quickly changing from irrelevant to emergency. This blog shares two recent news stories about world famous people with BPPV.
Repeated Falls: What To Do About Them | BetterBalanceInLife.com
I recommend for anyone who is experiencing unexplained repeated falls to get checked out by an expert in fall prevention.
Three Simple Exercises to Reduce the Risk of Falling
In this blog, I share three simple exercises that you can do at home to reduce your risk of falling. You can also coach your elderly loved ones to do these exercises.
What Works in Fall Prevention?
Through normal aging, muscles lose strength and quickness, and unconscious balance reactions slow down. The normal loss of muscle is significant enough to cause fear of falling and reduced quality of life, regardless of mobility level. However, there is one effective...
Reduce Fall Risk
The truth is that our community is in a public health crisis due to the falls in older adults and their devastating consequences. In the US according to CDC.GOV, every 12 seconds an older adult is seen at an emergency room for a fall-related injury and every 20 minutes an older adult dies from a fall. This blog shares strategies to reduce fall risk.
UCSD Stein Public Lecture: “Dizziness and Vertigo, Part II – Research in Aging”
My mission is to rescue mis-diagnosed and mis-managed patients suffering with dizziness and vertigo. So if you or someone you love are suffering with dizziness or vertigo, I hope you can set aside 75 minutes to check out my 2018 UCSD Stein Public Lecture, “Dizziness and Vertigo, Part II – Research in Aging.”
Dizziness and Vertigo can Cause Burns
Dizziness and vertigo can cause burns. I share my personal story of suffering a first degree burn on my hand, and the story of a patient who suffered severe burns due to dizziness and vertigo.
How can I Safely Move around with Vertigo?
The best way to safely move around with vertigo really depends on your individual case of vertigo, the severity of your symptoms, your other medical conditions and the general strength of your abdominals, back, and leg muscles.
Should I Move around with Vertigo?
People with vertigo often wonder if they should move around with vertigo or sit still. It depends on the root cause of your vertigo symptoms. In this blog, I discuss considerations in moving around with vertigo for three specific root causes.
Vertigo with Lying Down
I want to share with you a story about a woman I recently met who was having vertigo with lying down. This blog details some of the risks of untreated BPPV.
Dizziness with Head Turns
Dizziness with head turns can be caused by root causes involving the central nervous system (CNS), the neck bones, the neck muscles and/ or the inner ear, i.e. the vestibular system. The management of dizziness with head turns depends on the root cause, so determining the root cause is critical to optimizing outcomes. It is important to remember that multiple root causes are often present and all root causes need to be addressed for the best results.
FAQ: Why Do I Feel Less Steady When I Come Indoors After Being Outside During the Day?
Today I am going to answer a question that I hear frequently from my older patients patients which is, “Why do I feel less steady when I come indoors after being outside during the day?”
Would Better Bladder Control Allow You to Drink More Water?
How can a Physical Therapist who specializes in dizziness and vertigo offer an online course called “Improve Bladder Control: Evidence-Based Bladder Retraining Program?” It is very interesting that I have discovered that many people do not drink enough water due in order to prevent embarrassing accidents and that causes dizziness when they stand up.
FAQ: Medical Management to Reduce Fall Risk
Today we’re going to answer the frequently asked question (FAQ) that I hear from my patients which is, “If I want to prevent myself from falling, or reduce fall risk, what do I need to know or do medically?”
FAQ: Will My Dizziness Ever Go Away?
Today we are going to answer the frequently asked question (FAQ) that I often hear from people which is, ‘”Will my dizziness ever go away?”
FAQ: Should I Be Supplementing with Vitamin D to Reduce My Risk of Falling?
Today we are going to answer a question that I frequently hear (FAQ) from my patients, which is, “Should I be supplementing with vitamin D to reduce my risk of falling?”
FAQ: Why Do I Get Dizzy When I Look Up?
Today we are going to answer a question that I frequently hear (FAQ) from my patients which is, “Why do I get dizzy when I look up?”
Recurrence of BPPV Symptoms: How Will I Know if it Comes Back?
The key point of Pat’s story is to understand that she never complained of dizziness and vertigo, but had unexplained repeated falls and always tested positive for BPPV. I offer three tips to detect BPPV symptoms.
Is it True: Can I have Vertigo Memory Problems?
I said, “Well, let’s see of your brain still feels foggy after we treat your vertigo symptoms because BPPV can cause impairments in short term memory and concentration.”
Can Anyone Help with the Room Spinning Before I Get Hurt Again?
Let this be a wake-up call for those experiencing “room spinning” to seek out help from a Vestibular Expert before serious fall-related injuries occur.
Self-Awareness of Walking Stability with Neuropathy or Normal Aging of the Feet
It dawned on me how important it might be for people who have unstable walking, chronic falls or foot neuropathy to ask a friend or family member if they appear to be shuffling their feet on the ground while they walk.
My Message of Hope to Those who Suffer with Dizziness and Vertigo
Recently, I was chatting with a retired physician about my clinical specialty in Dizziness and Vertigo. We had a good laugh about the fact that an entire clinical practice could be built around one main symptom.
Foot Neuropathy Treatment
A patient I saw today amazed me in the last 6 weeks by the improvement in his walking stability and his confidence with walking outside. When I first saw him, he was literally shuffling – or sliding – his feet along the floor with small steps while he walked and he teetered side to side.
Alone in the Room
I would like to share tips to manage an acute episode of vertigo that was provoked by lying down.
Have you hit a dead end in understanding the cause of your dizziness or vertigo?
Does this sound like you or someone you know with dizziness, vertigo, imbalance or unexplained repeated falls?
You’ve hit a lot of dead ends but you haven’t given up.
Dizziness and Vertigo – Research in Aging
Check out my second UCSD Stein Public Lecture “Dizziness and Vertigo – Research in Aging.” I host a panel of experienced clinicians to discuss a comprehensive approach to dizziness and vertigo.
Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
The diagnosis and immediate treatment of BPPV can be made based on the clinical history and physical exam by a properly trained clinician without any specialized testing equipment.
Vertigo Quickly Changes from Irrelevant to Emergency
I recently met a woman in her 40s who had spent the previous few weeks crawling around her apartment on her hands and knees.
Advocacy to Improve Quality of Life
About five years ago, I accepted a one-year travel position as a full-time physical therapist working in Home Health on the Monterey Peninsula.
Living with a Vestibular Disorder
The wonderful thing about my situation is that because I understand vertigo and it’s multi-factorial causes so clearly, I’ve been able to navigate through a difficult exacerbation of my health symptoms and advocate for myself as I continue to seek out care from specialist providers.
Is BPPV Always on the Side you Sleep on?
After his examination and treatment, one of my patients asked me very inquisitively, “Is BPPV always on the side you sleep on?”
Was That an Earthquake?
Living in California, it is sometimes hard to tell if I am experiencing vertigo or if we are having an earthquake.
FAQ: What is the Most Common Vestibular Disorder?
Today we are going to answer a frequently asked question that I hear from a lot of people, which is “what is the most common vestibular disorder?”
Advocacy to Prevent Hospitalizations
It is important to tell a doctor if you have fallen – especially if you were injured – and to seek out preventative services like vestibular rehabilitation when you are dizzy, before a fall.
Are You Ready for a Fresh Perspective on a Vertigo Patient?
I believe that ultimately all Physical Therapists (PTs) should know how to screen for BPPV and how to screen for other vestibular disorders, especially those PTs working in geriatrics.
Social Support and the Stress of a Vestibular Disorder
Just as I needed to be a social support for my grandfather as he coped with the loss of his spouse, patients who are going through the stress of living day to day with a vestibular disorder need to be sure to seek out a social support system for their own well-being.
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