A Montana woman's nearly 20-year war against vertigo was finally won with the assistance of someone who holds a physical therapy job, according to a published report.
Karen Thornburg endured spinning symptoms on a basis that was practically constant, The Associated Press reports. Bending over made her feel like she had drank too much while flipping over in bed prompted spins and nausea.
Nancy Austrup of Advanced Performance and Rehabilitation Services aided Thornburg through a regimen that eliminated 18 years of dizziness.
"It's part of my life. You don't know when it's going to happen, so you're always on guard. It just weighs on you all the time, that unknowing," Thornburg told the news source. "It didn't really affect my way of life but it affected my mental state. I was always thinking about it. When I had no other option, I learned to live with it. I had to learn to manage it by avoiding those activities that would make me dizzy."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists help patients manage pain and discomfort from injuries, chronic conditions and operations.