WISH funding provides equipment to help treat inner-ear disorders

Vestibular (inner ear) problems can have a sudden onset, disrupting a person’s ability to do basic things such as roll over, walk, go to work or care for children. These disorders can be treated with physical therapy, including eye, head and balance exercises.

To develop a treatment plan customized to the patient’s needs, accurate diagnosis is essential and can require special equipment known as Frenzel goggles. The goggles are a camera that magnifies a patient’s eye movements so a physical therapist can make an appropriate and timely diagnosis.

Kitty Coonley and Katie Federer, physical therapists on UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation services unit, realized the lack of Frenzel goggles at PVH was a gap that needed to be filled. To purchase the goggles, they decided to apply for funding from the foundation’s giving circle, Women Investing in Strategies for Health (WISH).

WISH awarded the funds, enabling Coonley and Federer to purchase two pairs of goggles, along with additional equipment that helps with vestibular rehabilitation therapy.

“This equipment is directly affecting patient care via accurate diagnosing as well as effective rehabilitation that gets our patients home faster,” Coonley said. “We use the goggles across PVH, on the rehab unit, and in the emergency department with excellent results. We are extremely excited to have these vitally important resources to help our patients overcome dizziness and imbalance. It’s pretty awesome to see a patient go from incapacitated to walking unassisted out of the emergency department. Thank you, WISH!”

Learn about other WISH awards, and find out how you can join or sponsor: uchealthnocofoundation.org/wish.