sample articles & news clippings from 2005
Balance and Dizziness Disorders (BADD) Society, BC Canada
BalanceandDizziness.org
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The following extracts are intended to show you what the print version of the newsletter can contain in terms of useful news, notes from guest speaker presentations, meetings etc. of the BC Balance and Dizziness Disorders Society.
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March 16, 2005
Guest speaker at our March 16 meeting was Dr. Gurdev Parmar,
Naturopathic Physician and Medical Director of the Fort Integrated
Health Clinic.
The Naturopathic Medical Approach to dizziness evaluates the condition
by taking a history of the problem and doing a physical exam that
includes otoscopy; eye, auditory and balance testing; and swivel chair,
Dix-Hallpike, and caloric stimulation tests as indicated.
A Naturopathic Physician has many years of training and education
before being licensed to practice. Core principles of naturopathy are
• identify and treat the cause
• first do no harm
• doctor as teacher
• treat the whole person
• emphasize prevention
• support the healing power of the body
Naturopathic physicians treat the cause of symptoms, using cutting-edge
treatments from around the world. Treatment may include physical
medicine (spinal manipulation, massage, trigger point, neuro- and
prolo- therapies) homotoxicology and use of homeopathic medicines to
help eliminate wastes from the body; or pancreatic enzyme therapy to
aid digestion, detoxify, bolster the immune system, enhance tissue
repair, and fight viruses. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (decompression
chamber) is sometimes used to treat inner ear dysfunction, tinnitus,
vertigo hearing loss, deafness, Meniere’s disease and acute acoustic
trauma.
Dr. Parmar ended the evening with four case studies and a question
period.
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November 2004,
Our guest speaker, Carol Lau, talked about Tinnitus and Tinnitus
Retraining Therapy. She explained how tinnitus works. Sound goes
through the ear to the cochlea nerve and the brain. A filtering system
in the brain allows us to attend to some sounds (as in conversation)
while ignoring others*. Tinnitus occurs when damaged hair cells
transfer incomplete information to the brain, creating a degree of
hearing loss. Because the brain is not picking up everything, it sends
a message back to the ear to send more messages. The good nerves
amplify (turn up) the sound; the brain interprets this as a ringing,
buzzing, humming or hissing sound. The tinnitus sound goes through the
filter and the brain learns to accept it. In other words, tinnitus is
the ability to perceive compensatory activity of the auditory nerve.
It is heard by anyone over the age of 35 and/or in total silence.
Tinnitus is triggered by silence; hearing loss; traumatic events such
as may occur in motor vehicle accidents; health related problems such
as dizziness, vertigo, headaches, flu or sinus problems; or by events
that are stressful or anxiety-provoking. Understanding how tinnitus
works is important in managing it. Tinnitus occurs in the brain, not
the mind. It is neither a noise in the ear nor a disease, but merely
the person’s ability to hear sounds generated by the auditory system.
Tinnitus stays at a constant level, but is more noticeable in silence
or when the individual is not busy.
In retraining therapy, informational counselling teaches the
individual to shut down the filters and rethink previous thought
patterns. Along with this, sound therapy is used to avoid silence and
targets the auditory system.
* In hyperacusis the filters are wide open.
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September 15, 2004
President Jacke Palmer opened the meeting by welcoming the group and
giving a short talk about the origins of BADD. Our scheduled speaker,
homeopath Christa Armstrong, had been forced to cancel at the last
minute. Instead, CarolCartercame to our rescue with a talk about her
personal experience with natural remedies.
About 10 years ago, Carol had started to feel just “not well”. A short
time later, lab results from her annual physical detected cancer.
After a lot of reading, and a lot more tests, she decided to try
natural remedies while waiting for surgery. After some time on her
regimen, tests prior to surgery found that the cancer appeared to be
reversing itself.
A few months later, she had a couple of setbacks, but she started using
another natural remedy and her symptoms once again abated. A year
later, she felt phenomenal; she could exercise, run, and do other
things she hadn’t been able to do for some time.
Thanks so much, Carol, for giving such an interesting talk about your
experience, and for doing it on such short notice!
If you’d like more information about Carol’s experience, call her at
604-880-3355, or e-mail her at cacarter@telus.net.
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April 21st
Twenty-six people attended our first meeting in our new location at
Collingwood Neighbourhood House.
Our first guest speaker, lawyer Sadie Wetzel, spoke about will and
estate planning. After explaining how assets are divided when a person
dies without a will, Ms. Wetze acquainted us with some of the details
surrounding wills, and explained Powers of Attorney, Representation
Agreements, Probate Fees and the duties of Executors. To be legal,
wills must be in writing, and must be signed, dated and witnessed.
They can still be challenged on the basis of validity, or in cases of
marriage or divorce. Some assets – those in joint tenancy; life
insurance and RRSP’s to named beneficiaries; annuities; and assets held
outside the province – may pass to a beneficiary outside of a will.
These are transferred immediately
after death, and are not subject to probate fees.
Our next speaker, personal financial adviser Ed Warkentin, discussed
taking control of our financial affairs and managing debt. Debt is a
set of circumstances in which we find ourselves when we spend money we
don't have. It can sometimes happen as the result of an emergency, and
can be a devastating experience. A lot of debt can get in the way of
ensuring your values and achieving your goals. Some kinds of debt are
good, but others are not. – the decision is yours. So are the
decisions we make
about going into debt, and about how we manage it.
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June 16th
About forty-seven people enjoyed a comprehensive talk on balance and
various types of vertigo by Dr. Eytan A. David MD. FRCSC. Dr. David
discussed each disorder and then asked for questions before moving on
to the next condition. He patiently answered many interesting
questions, but explained that he was unable to give a diagnosis in
response to particular questions. He was similarly cautious about
discussing medication, stressing that each patient must be properly
diagnosed. Audience members appreciated Dr. David’s patience and
understanding of
the problems endured by those of uswith dizzy conditions.
Dr David had prepared a program of computer illustrations to
complement his talk but unfortunately, we didn’t have the necessary
computer projection equipment. We would like to apologise to Dr. David
for this communication breakdown, and to assure him that his talk was
very well received and much appreciated; we’d like to have him back
next year.
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February 19, 2004
Physiotherapist Bernard Tonks spoke about the help physiotherapy can
provide for people with balance and dizziness disorders. The most
common cause of vertigo is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or
BPPV: crystals in the inner ear sometimes break free and cause
problems, triggered by head position changes. In 50% of people, the
problem may go away on its own. For the others, physiotherapy has a
success rate of
98% with three treatments. BPPV recurs in about 40% of those treated.
Goals of treatment include improving functional balance; improving
ability to see clearly during head movement; improving patient's
general physical condition; reducing social isolation; and decreasing
disequilibrium and oscillopsia. The main goal is to restore all of a
patient's previous activities. Treatment is inclined to be more
successful if patients are seen early, if only one side is affected,
and if patients push themselves to get better.
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Meeting Notes – September 11, 2003
BADD President Charlotte Wynne welcomed everyone and thanked
them for coming. Our first speaker, Glynnis Tidball, Audiologist at
St. Paul’s, spoke about tinnitus, a conscious experience of sound
originating in the brain. Called the “Bewitched Ear” in ancient Egypt,
tinnitus may consist of somatosounds (sound generated somewhere in the
body, e.g. by turbulent blood flow in the head), sensorineural sound
(sound perceived in the absence of physical sound) or auditory
hallucinations. The sound may be pulsating, unilateral or bilateral,
clicking, fluttering, echoing of voice.
Tinnitus’ cause is largely unknown. It may be related to ear injury –
for example, damage after a rock concert – or to a tumour on or an
injury to a nerve. It can also result from auditory deprivation:
extreme
quiet can increase awareness of the hum in the brain.
About 35% of people have some tinnitus and 13% have prolonged
tinnitus; it seems to be more common in those with hearing loss.
Almost everyone has some under the right conditions; its intrusiveness
often depends on individual reaction to the sound. Tinnitus can cause
distress, depression, sleep problems, decreased tolerance of external
sounds and otherwise interfere with life.
Medical management may include reassurance (it is not a disease);
hearing loss management; psychotherapy; prescription drugs (for
example, to control depression); or relaxation therapy such as yoga,
deep breathing, or tai chi. Lifestyle management methods such as using
white noise or the sound of a waterfall to aid sleep; managing stress;
or adjusting diet may also be helpful.
~
Our second speaker, Dr. Brian D. Westerberg, Otolaryngologist at St.
Paul’s, spoke on Meniere’s Disease, a syndrome of hearing loss,
tinnitus, vertigo and pressure or fullness in the ear. While Meniere’s
is a clinical syndrome, there is no diagnostic test at this point. A
patient must have all four symptoms before a diagnosis of Meniere’s
will be made. In Meniere’s disease vertigo lasts for hours, and is
associated with nausea and vomiting. However, it is important to
realize that not
all vertigo is Meniere’s disease.
Treatment initially may include
• restriction of salt, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
• diuretics, which help decrease the pressure of fluid in the inner ear
• Betahistamine (Serc) increases blood flow to the inner ear. (* Not
all physicians agree about the effectiveness of betahistamine.)
• Benzodiazepine (Valium, Ativan), vestibular suppressants, help calm
patients.
• Prednisone (steroids) sometimes help, but can cause complications.
Additionally, surgical treatment may be used, but at higher risk.
Probably 1person in 30,000 will get Meniere’s; about half of those have
a family history of the condition. A slight female preponderance may
exist. It typically starts in the middle years–49 to 67–but has been
seen at all ages. Probably 60 to 80% of Meniere’s cases resolve with
medical treatment and/or time. Over a long time, end-stage Meniere’s
disease will eventually destroy balance in 20% of patients with only
one ear involved and in 5 to 50% of patients with both ears involved.
If you do anything for them, 60 to 70% of Meniere’s sufferers will get
better.
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(January, 2003)
Approximately 40 people attended our January meeting to hear
pharmacist Ken Foreman, Deputy CEO & Director, Professional Services of
the BC Pharmacy Association. His topics were "Dizziness and Balance
Drugs" and "What’s new in the Pharmacare plan?"
It was disheartening to hear that few new drugs for balance and
dizziness problems have come on the market recently. In fact, some old
ones such as antivert have been taken off the market in Canada. As
large pharmaceutical companies merge, evidently they are dropping some
of the drugs they have always produced. However, drugs for other
conditions and diseases have been
found to be effective for some dizziness and balance problems.
Pharmacare, which covers residents of BC, was last changed in January,
2002 and is currently under review. Pharmacare includes Plan A, for
seniors; Plan B, for residents of Licensed Long-Term Care Facilities;
Plan C, for British Columbia Benefits recipients; Plan D, for people
with Cystic Fibrosis; and Plan E, the universal plan for those not
covered under Plan A, B, C, or D. Each plan has different rules and
benefit coverage; detailed information is available at
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