Dizziness Depot

Think you want a code for vHIT? Think again.   Currently there is no code for vHIT, but I frequently hear from practicing Audiologists that there should be. Most of the procedures we use for the diagnostic evaluation of the dizzy patient have been assigned Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes.  These codes describe the service, and each code is assigned

Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) is a new diagnosis that is unfamiliar to many health care providers and patients alike. The diagnosis is new in name only, as the primary physical symptoms of this disorder have been reported in medical literature dating back to the 1800s. These core physical symptoms include persistent, non-spinning dizziness and/or unsteadiness that are worsened by complex

Last week I attended a meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) where we were tasked with redefining and re-valuing the code for Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CPT 92548). The proceedings surrounding the development of values for codes are confidential; so I cannot discuss the results of these deliberations. In the process of researching this code in preparation for these discussions

Canalith Repositioning (CRP), more commonly referred to as the Epley maneuver, has become the “go to” treatment for the complaint of positional vertigo. I have been at this long enough to see the transition from skepticism that any condition could be quickly treated by lying down and rolling over in bed, to the current habit of people being treated for

Editor’s Note: While our editorial team takes the week off for the holidays, we hope you enjoy this post. Originally published on July 18, 2018, this post received more views than any other article at the Dizziness Depot in 2018 As audiologists providing both vestibular and hearing assessment, we evaluate individuals with a variety of hearing and/or dizziness related symptoms.

Editor’s Note: While our editorial team takes the week off for the holiday’s, we hope you enjoy our favorite post for 2018 at the Dizziness Depot. This post was originally published on June 25, 2018. Disorders of the inner ear are, for the most part, not visible through imaging and are not detected through blood tests. We get a limited and

The Impact of Falling   Falls are a tremendous problem worldwide and have the potential to cause significant personal injury, physical decline, activity limitation and even death. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently found that 3 million individuals are treated in emergency departments for falls annually in the United States. Of the 3 million individuals that were treated for

An Analysis of the Numbers Dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, falling and fear of falling are very common complaints in the adult population, and increase with age. Emergency Department (ED) data obtained from the National Ambulatory Care Survey show a 97% increase in annual visits for dizziness from 1995 to 2011, accounting for 3.9 million visits in 2011 at a cost of

In support of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) balance awareness week, this post aims to increase the awareness of vestibular disorders and the potential impact of a vestibular disorder on one’s life. Dizziness symptoms are common with an estimated annual prevalence of 33 million individuals in the United States. Symptoms of dizziness can arise from a multitude of etiologies; however, peripheral

As I have reported here over the years, meclizine (Antivert) is a commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of vertigo. A recent survey reveals that meclizine is prescribed to 21.4% of elderly patients complaining of a “balance or dizziness problem.” Meclizine is an anti-cholinergic that reduces nausea from acute vestibular disorders as well as motion sickness. In fact, over the