Ground-breaking technology has arrived at Pattison & Co Physiotherapy in Wagga Wagga to provide much-needed relief for thousands of local residents who suffer from debilitating and dangerous bouts of dizziness.

Funded as part of the Wagga Wagga City Council Annual Grants program, the Vesticam Goggles allow for the efficient assessment and treatment of vestibular dysfunction.

Vestibular dysfunction is caused by issues within the inner ear or the balance pathways within the brain. It can result in nausea, vomiting, headaches, heart palpitations, panic attacks and dizziness that lasts anywhere from mere seconds to weeks on end.

Given bouts of dizziness can lead to life-threatening falls, the most recent statistics are extremely alarming. Studies have found more than 65 per cent of people over the age of 60 will experience some form of vestibular dysfunction and by 2026 Wagga LGA will be home to an estimated 15,500 residents over the age of 60.

The Australian-made Vesticam Goggles allow the physiotherapists at Pattison & Co Physiotherapy to make an immediate and accurate diagnosis of vestibular dysfunction by tracking small and fleeting eye movements in real time using an inbuilt infra-red video device.

“Vesticam Goggles are invaluable in assessing the cause of a patient’s dizziness and it’s a real boost for Wagga residents to now have access to this technology,” David Pattison of Pattison & Co Physiotherapy said.

“Accurate assessment and efficient treatment of a patient’s dizziness can reduce the burden on local medical facilities by reducing falls, as well as improving an individual’s confidence to stay active within their local community.”

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