Sorry for being MIA this week - it's been a long week and now recovering at the cottage. I've had a few ideas for blog posts recently but today I'm going to focus on helping research
I recently participated in a study to find the correlation between concussions and persisting dizziness/balance issues at the Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre. I had come in to see my concussion doctor and was asked to participate since I have the persistent symptoms they're looking for.
It was only 1-2 hours of my time and if it provides the researching team with what they need in order to understand us better - why not??
If you're in a post-concussion stage, you are likely experiencing dizziness and balance problems which may or may not be a direct cause of "vestibular dysfunction" - a broken inner balance system. With this study, the researchers are hoping to be able to diagnose the difference in order to help doctors treat these chronic issues.
This specific study does not replace your regular treatments, and is only a series of observational tests in one sitting such as balancing on a Wii Fit board, on a foam pillow, or on the hard floor with eyes first open then closed.
I could go on in great detail about this specific research and what they had me do, but that is not the point of my post. If you're interested, leave a comment and I can elaborate. The main goal of this post is to encourage you to participate in studies you may qualify for in your area. Although, more often than not, there is no compensation, it is the knowledge that you are helping your community! Whether it's concussion related, or any other injury or disease you may be dealing with, these studies are there to help us; to help you. I highly encourage you to check out your local colleges and hospitals and to reach out. Without this initiative, it may take that much longer to understand the human body.
All information collected is under a unique study number and in no way identifies you personally. It's something to do, and you really do walk out feeling like you were a good samaritan and did your good deed of the day.