At the age of 40, approximately 35% of the population develop inner ear problems. This can lead to dizziness, vertigo and higher risk of falling. This number only increases with age. An elderly individual that falls costs Medicare about $19,000 on average. Many of these falls are preventable. At a few Fyzical locations, there is an Epley Omniax Chair, that restores balance for individuals with vertigo in addition to helping inner ear problems, the leading cause for falling.
The chair treats patients suffering from vertigo and other vestibular disorders, using gravity to reposition calcium crystals that get trapped in the inner ear canals. Anytime you look up, down, left or right, the crystals will start moving around causing the feeling of vertigo.
By using night vision goggles connected to a computer allowing a camera to look through the eye to identify any issues and find the crystals and knock them loose by spinning the chair until the crystals are put in a spot where the body can absorb them. There are only 14 Omniax chairs in the United States.
In the United States alone, there are approximately 350,000 - 400,000 hip fractures annually. With an average fall costing $19,000, the amount of money being spent on post fall care is extraordinary. In order to save the Medicare system a tremendous amount of money, prevention is the answer, not cure.
The primary symptoms of Balance Issues are:
- Vertigo
- Disequilibrium
- Lightheaded
- Motion Sickness
- Avoidance Behavior
Patients of all ages can use the Epley Omniax chair, as doctors have sent patients as young as 5 years old, the oldest being 107. Studies show that over 25% of seniors suffering a hip fracture die within one year after falling. See Full Article Here