Concussed Teen Improves with Vestibular Therapy at PHC

It wasn’t that long ago that 15-year- old Breanna Hennessey couldn’t walk a straight line or up a flight of stairs without feeling dizzy or getting a headache.

The competitive cheerleader suffered second-impact syndrome last year and as a result of her injury found it difficult to perform routine tasks. After six months of vestibular therapy at Putnam Hospital Center’s outpatient rehabilitation facility in Carmel, Hennessey returned to tumbling and dance, but later developed post-concussion syndrome.

She is now completing another six months of vestibular therapy and says she feels good.

“This has really helped more than anything,” said Hennessey, a junior at Carmel High School. “I can live a regular life.”

The vestibular system includes parts of the inner ear and works with the brain to maintain equilibrium as people interact with the world around them. If disease or injury damages this sensory system, vestibular impairments can emerge. Symptoms include vertigo, dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, difficulty walking, imbalance and feeling disoriented.

Vestibular therapy is among the many services offered at Putnam Hospital Center’s rehab facility. A certified vestibular therapist works with patients to improve balance, reduce dizziness and vertigo and improve gaze stability during head movement.

Common pathologies addressed include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, post-concussion syndrome, cervicogenic dizziness, vestibular hypofunctions, Meniere’s disease (an inner ear illness) and acoustic neuromas. Individualized treatment sessions typically average six to eight weeks, twice a week, depending on the needs of the patient.

Physical therapist Vicki Seppell said her full caseload is comprised of patients needing vestibular therapy and at least 50 percent of the cases seen are due to concussions. She has practiced physical therapy for more than 14 years, specializing in vestibular therapy for the past 10 years. Seppell has seen a large increase in volume over the past two years due to increased awareness by both patients and physicians, she said.

“Many people think that concussions are only due to sports-related injuries, but they can occur after things such as falls, work-related injuries and car accidents as well,” Seppell said. “They can happen to anyone at any given time. Education and awareness are key.”

Some of the rehab Seppell does with her vestibular patients includes canalith repositioning maneuvers for BPPV, gaze stabilization exercises, habituation exercises and falls prevention and safety training. With post-concussion rehab, she includes exertion therapy using submaximal cardiovascular exercise, where she monitors patients’ vital signs while they are on a treadmill, bicycle or elliptical machine.

“I built up a nice, gradual pace on these machines, so now I can jog without a headache,” Hennessey said.

Balance Awareness Week to Defeat Dizziness is Sept. 14-20. The initiative by the Vestibular Disorders Association is meant to educate and raise funds toward combating vestibular disorders. To learn more, visit www.vestibular.org

“Breanna will never be able to cheer again, but she is able to go through her days, symptom free,” her mother, Jen Garcia, said. “We are so thankful for her vestibular therapist, Vicki Seppell. She always went above and beyond to educate both Breanna and me on her symptoms and was there to guide us through one of the most difficult times of our lives.”

For more information or to make an appointment for Putnam Hospital Center’s vestibular therapy program, call 845-279-1785 (TTY 1-800-421-1220).