The Pulse

Pulse the June 2011 • www.chp.cmich.edu The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions Individuals with disabilities related to balance, mobility and dizziness disorders now have improved access to premier clinical services thanks to a revolutionary new diagnostic tool at CMU. Falls connected to such disorders are among the leading causes of injuries in the United States. The new Neuro Kinetics rotary chair system allows CMU audiology and physical therapy clinicians to more precisely pinpoint concerns and identify specific treatment plans. The chair is housed in the Audiology Clinic in the Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education. CMU owns one of only 70 chairs worldwide. "The college is very fortunate to have this new equipment," says Dean Christopher Ingersoll. "Not only are we able to provide optimal service for clients living in this region, we're also able to train our students on high-tech equipment, which gives them a competitive advantage. " Audiology graduate students learn how to operate the chair and measure results. Professor Dawn Nelson, right center in first photo, supervises. CMU's audiology program is ranked in the nation's top 20 programs, according to U.S. News and World Report. A balancedoutcome New equipment brings new opportunities to CHP Chair leads to more thorough treatment options Associate Professor M. Dawn Nelson, an audiologist who conducts these balance evaluations in the Audiology Clinic, says the new chair has the potential to help improve patient outcomes. She says the vestibular system, which controls balance, is divided into two primary evaluation areas – semi-circular canals and otolith. Nelson says CMU already had a rotary chair that only tested the semi-circular canals, purchased when the Health Professions Building opened in 2004. The recently purchased chair is a new technology that evaluates both the semi- circular canals and the otolith area, which audiologists were unable to test before. "Before, people would come to the clinic feeling nauseous and dizzy, but we couldn't pinpoint a disorder outside of the semi-circular canals because we could only test that specific part of the vestibular system," she says. "Since this new chair was developed, we can now test the entire system. This new chair will provide a more complete picture of the cause of a patient's imbalance. " After the faculty and staff in the Audiology Clinic do the testing, more effective treatment plans can be created. Raja Chowdhary of CMU's Physical Therapy Program says the rotary chair and its test results have many benefits. "When we get the results we can teach clients methods to make their lives better, " " Chowdhary says. "We can specialize treatment plans as a result, and over time, this will make a difference in their quality of life. To learn more about CMU's Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education call 989-774-3904 or visit www.chp.cmich.edu and click the Clinics and Center tab.

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