Colleen Dickens was behind the wheel when she first noticed the initial signs of dizziness. “I felt it while driving. Every time I turned my head I felt like I would fall down,” Colleen recalled. Unfortunately, the dizziness kept getting worse for this hospital data specialist from Gulfport, MS. “I really started to wonder if I could drive anymore,” she said. Colleen finally saw Nurse Practitioner Sarah McGuire, who is now seeing patients at CNC Hearing and Balance Center in Mandeville.
Sarah’s first step was to find out what was causing Colleen’s imbalance. It didn’t take long. Colleen had already undergone a MRI and it showed no sign of a tumor. Sarah was able to diagnose Colleen’s vertigo immediately with a physical exam. “Finding the cause of vertigo involves taking a detailed history, and examining how the parts of the body’s balance system are functioning together (eyes, ears, muscles and joints, and the brain),” McGuire said.
At first, Colleen was initially unwilling to take medication to correct the issue so Sarah recommended Vestibular physical therapy. “There is no specific magic drug to cure vertigo,” McGuire explains. “It often involves a combination of therapy, meds and sometimes lifestyle modifications.”
“Oh my God! The therapy worked so well!” Colleen recalled. However, the dizziness returned. After 6 long years of dealing with this imbalance, Colleen finally agreed to take medication to address the chemical imbalance that was triggering her vertigo. It worked.
Two years later, Colleen’s vertigo has almost completely resolved. “I can’t say enough about Sarah and what she did for me,” Colleen said. “She worked with me to make sure my symptoms improved and her recommendation on medications was perfect.”
CNC Hearing and Balance Center’s new Mandeville clinic is located at 804 Heaven’s Drive. For an appointment please call 504-934-8320.
