SERVING SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA | PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH THERAPY
The first step is to determine if the dizziness is caused by a balance problem or an ear problem. Our certified vestibular therapists can help you recover from inner ear discrepancies due to injury or illness before it causes a loss of equilibrium, resulting in dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance and other unpleasant symptoms.
Vestibular Therapy refers to treatments carried out by a specially trained physical or occupational therapist to improve the function of the inner ear following injury or illness. After injury, the signals that our inner ear sends to our brain are not always accurate, causing disconnect between what our eyes see and what our inner ear tells our brains is happening.
The licensed clinicians at Hope Therapy offer the latest Vestibular Therapy programs: Canalith Repositioning Techniques (often referred to as the Epley maneuver) is a series of body and head positions that treat BPPV. This is often successful in relieving symptoms as early as the first visit!Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based treatment that is designed to decrease dizziness symptoms, improve balance and increase functional activity levels in those with non-compensated, but stable vestibular dysfunction.
Dry needling is a technique physical therapists use (where allowed by state law) to treat myofascial pain. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection. Dry needling is not acupuncture.
Physical therapists use dry needling with the goal of releasing or inactivating trigger points to relieve pain or improve range of motion. A trigger point is a taut band of skeletal muscle located within a larger muscle group. Trigger points can be tender to the touch, and touching a trigger point may cause pain to other parts of the body.
Your Physical Therapist providing dry needling has been trained with 50 plus face to face contact hours of education. Training included over 200 treatment sessions, a written and practical exam, and several reviews of research articles in order to provide the most current and effective treatment for each individual patient.
An inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write and spell in your native language, despite at least average intelligence. It is neurologically based, often familial and interferes with the acquisition and processing of language.
Sonya Brooks, MA, CCC-L/SLP, COM® is a Speech Pathologist who specializes in Dyslexia Assessment. She offers a comprehensive and appropriate diagnostic testing battery to assess dyslexia using research-based methods.
Once one is diagnosed with dyslexia, our certified tutors offer one of the Orton-Gillingham Systems, Barton Reading and Spelling, to teach reading and spelling. This system is a simultaneously multisensory, systematic and cumulative program with explicit instruction in both synthetic and analytic phonics. We also use the Linda Mood-Bell LiPS program.
Our dyslexia tutors are certified or in the process of certification in the Barton Reading and Spelling system. Tutoring is twice a week and can take from 18-36 months.
• May lack awareness of the sounds and structure of words
• May have difficulty learning the names of letters of the alphabet
• May have difficulty learning the sounds associated with letters
• May have difficulty saying the alphabet correctly in sequence
• May have difficulty sounding out unfamiliar words
• May have difficulty with sight words
• May have repeated spelling errors
• May reverse letters or sequences of letters in words
• May have difficulty learning to tie shoes or tell time with a clock with hands
• May have difficulty with handwriting
• May have difficulty with reading comprehension
• Late establishing a dominant hand
• Difficulty finding the “right” word
• Delayed spoken language
Stroke rehabilitation therapy options aim to help individuals recover and regain their independence after a stroke. These therapy options include:
Physical Therapy: Physical therapists focus on improving mobility, strength, and balance. They may use exercises, stretching, and assistive devices to help patients regain control of their movements.
Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapists assist patients in relearning daily living skills such as dressing, eating, and bathing. They may also provide adaptive equipment and techniques to facilitate independence.
Speech Therapy: Speech-language pathologists work with individuals who experience difficulty speaking, understanding language, or swallowing after a stroke. They use exercises and techniques to improve communication and swallowing abilities.
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Cognitive rehabilitation aims to address difficulties with memory, attention, problem-solving, and other cognitive functions affected by a stroke. Therapists use various strategies and exercises to help individuals regain cognitive abilities.
Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy: This therapy restricts the use of the unaffected limb to encourage the use and recovery of the affected limb. It aims to promote neuroplasticity and improve motor function.
Aquatic Therapy: Water-based exercises can provide a supportive environment for stroke survivors to improve muscle strength, balance, and coordination. The buoyancy of water reduces the impact on joints and allows for easier movement.
Assistive Devices: Various assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and communication aids can help individuals with mobility, communication, and daily living tasks during stroke rehabilitation.
It's important to note that the specific therapy options recommended for each individual may vary depending on the severity of the stroke, the areas affected, and the goals of rehabilitation.
Voice and swallowing therapy options are available to individuals who experience difficulties with their voice or swallowing function. These therapies aim to improve and restore the normal functioning of these areas.
Voice Therapy: Voice therapy is designed to treat various voice disorders such as hoarseness, vocal nodules, vocal cord paralysis, and vocal strain. It involves exercises to improve vocal quality, breath control, resonance, and pitch. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use techniques like vocal hygiene education, vocal exercise programs, and behavioral modifications to help individuals regain optimal voice production.
Swallowing Therapy: Swallowing therapy, also known as dysphagia therapy, is aimed at addressing difficulties with swallowing. This therapy is beneficial for individuals with conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, head and neck cancer, and neurological disorders that affect swallowing function. Swallowing exercises and strategies are utilized to improve muscle strength and coordination, enhance swallowing safety, and reduce the risk of aspiration.
Laryngeal Manipulation: Laryngeal manipulation is a technique used in voice therapy to improve vocal fold function. It involves manual manipulation of the larynx to optimize vocal fold closure, reduce tension, and improve vocal resonance. This technique is typically performed by a trained speech-language pathologist.
Respiratory Training: Respiratory training focuses on improving breath support and control for voice production and swallowing. It includes exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in respiration, enhance lung capacity, and promote efficient breathing patterns.
Biofeedback Therapy: Biofeedback therapy utilizes technology to provide visual or auditory feedback on specific physiological processes related to voice or swallowing function. This feedback helps individuals become aware of their muscle movements and facilitates learning and improvement. Biofeedback devices can be used to monitor laryngeal movement, swallowing patterns, or respiratory function.
Oral Myofunctional Therapy, also known as Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, involves a series of exercises designed to improve the strength, positioning, and coordination of the muscles in the mouth and throat. These muscles include the tongue, lips, and pharynx. One example of these exercises is training a child to hold their tongue tip behind their top teeth. This therapy can be administered by a Speech Therapist.
