Piedmont Newnan Hospital (PNH) celebrated the first anniversary of the Rehabilitation Services, Outpatient Department with a breakfast for medical staff and outpatient rehab patients today.  Speakers included PNH CEO Michael Bass, Chief Operating Officer Nathan Nipper, Director of Rehabilitation Cynthia Finney, Outpatient Rehabilitation Coordinator Karen Barber and recently discharged outpatient rehabilitation patient Sally Taylor.

 Linda Sewell, RN, PNH outpatient surgery, has dealt with slight inner ear problems and vertigo her entire life, but in mid-July she began having acute spells of dizziness to the point that she could no longer function normally.  Sewell could only take a few steps without losing her balance and could not go to work.  About four weeks ago, once she was through the worst of the dizziness, her doctor sent her to PNH’s Rehabilitation Services, Outpatient Department for therapy.

 “To most people it wouldn’t seem like a big deal to walk across a room without falling or balancing on a piece of foam,” said Sewell, “but for me it is quite a feat.  When I first began therapy, I could only take a few steps, but now I can walk the full length of the room.”

 Sewell’s therapy included vestibular rehabilitation, which retrains the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with information from vision and other areas of the body.  This often involves desensitizing the balance system to movements that provoke symptoms of dizziness.  Trained therapists place patients in certain positions and help them through exercises that re-train the center of balance in the body. 

 “I am so glad to have access to this rehabilitation specialty at PNH,” said Sewell.  “It would be very difficult for me to get to therapy if I had to travel a far distance, and I feel very blessed to receive my therapy in Newnan.”

 October is Physical Therapy Month, and Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s rehabilitation services include inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, inpatient speech therapy, outpatient diagnostic speech services, and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.  The Rehabilitation Services, Outpatient Department is located at the Piedmont Newnan Hospital Health & Fitness Center at 26 West Court Square.  For more information on the rehabilitation services offered by Piedmont Newnan Hospital, please call 770-254-3405 or visit www.piedmontnewnan.org.

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