Jerry M. Jackson P.T.

The vestibular system plays a major role in helping us with our balance and posture. This system is located in the inner ear and, in association with other body systems such as vision and joint sensors, functions as a highly integrated system with both sensory and motor components.   It provides our nervous system with constant information about our head and body orientation to the vertical plane.   In addition, it also functions to control the position of our body's center of mass and stabilizes the head during postural movements.

This system thereby functions to create a "picture" for our nervous system about the positions and movement of the entire body in correlation with it's surrounding environment.   The motor component then sends information to our muscles where corrections are made as needed in order for us to maintain a correct posture.

When the vestibular system is damaged from trauma, tumors, or normal aging, our balance, postural control, coordination and gait can be adversely effected.   Over the last twenty years, physical therapists have taken an active role in the research and treatment of this dysfunction.   As a result, specialized evaluation and treatment techniques have led to the significant improvement of patients with balance and coordination disorders.

At TOTAL HEALTH Physical Therapy, we have the specialized experience, skill and knowledge to provide a complete and thorough evaluation of vestibular and balance deficits and to also provide the necessary treatment which will help to treat this condition.  

If you suffer from this condition, call for an appointment today ~ (775) 324-0900 ~ before your impaired balance causes you to seriously injure yourself from a fall or accident.  

The rehabiliation of the patient with cancer is one of the newest and most promising specialties in the field of Physical Therapy.   Breast cancer patients have had the opportunity for years to benefit from the assistance and direction of physical therapists.   However, recently other forms and locations of this disease have facilitated a greater involvement of the physical therapist to assist the cancer patient in reducing the functional deficits which result, not only from the disease, but also from the treatment, i.e., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, etc.

Some of these deficits include decreased range-of-motion, decreased strength and endurance, neuropathic changes, postural changes, and secondary edema and pain. As the number of patients living with or cured of cancer has grown, it is critical that as much be done for these patients as possible allow them to have the highest level of function available to them.

TOTAL HEALTH Physical Therapy has identified this specialty as an integral part of the practice of physical therapy.   Because it is so important that the cancer patient attempt to maintain as high a level of physical activity as possible, our rehabilitative services are not only available in our clinic, but also home visits are available upon appointment.   In this way we can provide early rehabilitation intervention for the home-bound cancer patient in the comfort of their own home.

The program consists of an initial evaluation which provides for a general functional assessment.   This would include, as a minimum, the patient's mobility, strength, general health, range-of-motion, functional activity level, pain level, etc.

Specific physical therapy intervention will be dependent on a number of variables, including the patient's diagnosis, therapy received, age, treatment course, etc.   However, once the problem areas are identified, a comprehensive program is developed and presented to the patient and the patient's physician for their concurrence.   In this way, the rehabilitation becomes a "team effort" involving not only the therapist but also the patient and the other health care providers.