- This unique specialty service is designed to offer high quality, personalized Assessment and Expert Vestibular Rehabilitation Treatment for vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance.
- Request your Initial Root Cause Physical Therapy Evaluation and Treatment Specialty Consultation using this contact form.
- Respond to the screening questions that Dr. Bell uses for all new potential patients. There is no charge for her to review your answers to the screening questions.
- If her services are appropriate for your situation at this time, you will be able to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Bell.
- If she recommends her Virtual Case Management Services or something else instead, she will let you know after reviewing your answers to the screening questions.
To Prepare for your Initial Consultation:
- To prepare for your consultation, gather a list of all your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter, supplements, and herbs.
- After you schedule your appointment, complete the history form and send it back to Dr. Bell at least one hour before your history taking phone call.
- The first step of the initial consulation is a history taking phone call from Dr. Bell to review your medical history, symptoms, and current complaints before the in-person visit. This call usually lasts between 30-60 minutes. Make sure you are available to talk on the phone during your scheduled phone appointment with Dr. Bell.
- Be sure that you have reported your condition to your doctor because your primary care doctor may want to do his or her own exam.
- Invite a family member, caregiver or close friend to join the consultation to take notes for you or record the consultation, so you don’t have to remember everything that Dr. Bell explains and teaches you by yourself.
- Eat a light breakfast and drink a glass of water on the morning of the consultation.
- Bring a snack to the appointment if you think you might get hungry.
- Wear comfortable clothing so that you can move around during the visit. Wear socks or bring socks to put on. Wear shoes that you can easily take on and off without bending forward. Bring a light zip up jacket in case you feel chills during the treatment.
- Do not take any vestibular suppressant medication on the morning of the consultation because they will interfere with the results of the exam. Common vestibular suppressants your doctor may have prescribed include meclizine and benzodiazepines. If you are wearing a scopolamine patch to suppress the vertigo, you may need to remove it the day before your initial appointment.
- Discuss any medications you are taking for vertigo or nausea with Dr. Bell before your in-person appointment. Medication for nausea, like ondansetron, does not interfere with the exam results, so patients with a history of vomiting during vertigo attacks can take nausea medication before the appointment.
- If you have any “as needed” medication for vertigo or nausea, bring it with you to take as soon as you finish the appointment, before you get in the car to ride home, if needed.
- Plan your schedule so that you can take it easy for the rest of the day after your initial consultation. The hands-on evaluation will trigger your symptoms so that Dr. Bell can assess the extent of your condition and make appropriate recommendations. Although she will skillfully manage your symptoms throughout the evaluation, you may still feel tired afterwards and need extra rest. You should not plan to do household chores, return to work, read, drive, work on your computer, or cook your own dinner that evening. Some people feel absolutely fine afterwards, but some need to take it easy for the rest of the day.
- Be prepared to get extra sleep and rest for a day or so, after the initial appointment. Most patients experience a “hangover effect” the next day due to the extensive testing and treatment at the initial appointment. The fatigue and malaise from the “hangover effect” usually resolves with 12-48 hours, but may last as long as 3 days for more sensitive patients. A hangover effect is normal, even when the treatment is successful and may occur after any appointment with Dr. Bell for vertigo care.
- Postpone all dental care and beauty salon appointments for at least a week after the first visit.
- If you are seeing Dr. Bell at her Vista office location, you may need to arrange a ride. Dr. Bell will email you with details about her office location and parking.
- If you are having a house call visit, please secure all pets before Dr. Bell arrives, so your pets do not cause an interruption to the visit or interfere with your care inadvertently.
- Email support after the visit is also available for patients who sign to authorize electronic communication during the intake process. You are welcome to email Dr. Bell to share your response to the treatment, discuss your progress, review the exam findings, go over suggested next steps, and provide further instructions and resources. She offers unlimited Q&A via email.
- For caregivers of patients with confusion or memory loss: Dr. Bell and her team members kindly request that a spouse, family member, or caregiver be present for the evaluation of any patients with confusion or memory loss to assist with the evaluation and support the treatment plan.
- For non-English speaking patients: All services are provided in English. Dr. Bell and her team members kindly request that a spouse or family member be present to assist with translation for any patients who are not able to communicate in English.
