On 18 Feb, 2023, Seniors Today hosted their weekly Health Live Webinar with Dr Sanjay Helale, who spoke on and answered questions about the Risk of Fall and Prevention In Senior Citizens.
About Dr Sanjay Helale
He has over 26 years; experience and is Senior ENT Consultant Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai
Earlier:
Senior ENT Consultant Fortis Hospital, Mulund (2019 – 2022)
Senior ENT Consultant Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai (2019 – 2022)
ENT Consultant and Head of the Department (2011 – 2021) • Honorary Professor, Khan Baba Bhabha Municipal Hospital, Kurla West (2012 – till date)
ENT Consultant – Fauziya Hospital, (1998 – 2020)
Lecturer – Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Parel, (1997 – 2001)
Lecturer – Government Medical College, Aurangabad (1994)
> M.S. ENT – Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University, Aurangabad, 1995
> Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS): Gregory S. Weinstein, M.D., Professor and Vice Chair, The Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. The University of Pennysylvania, Philadelphia, USA, 2019
> Transnasal Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery Under Prof. Ricardo L. Carrau, M.D., Department of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43212, USA, 2015
> Clinical Fellowship and Hands on Training in Lateral Skull Base Surgery and Cochlear Implant Surgery – Under Prof. Mario Sanna, Gruppo Otologico, Piacenza Rome Italy University of Cheiti, Italy, 2014
Areas of Interest:
Coblation Surgery, Cochlear Implant, Head and Neck Tumors, Laser Surgeries, Micro Ear Surgery, Mucormycosis (Black Fungus), Navigation Assisted ENT Surgeries.
60% of falls in the elderly are caused due to the weakening of the balancing system in the inner ear as the age advances. So is the case with the hearing.
There are 2 important sensory functions that the ear performs- hearing and balance- and both these functions tend to be weaker as the age progresses thereby increasing the risk of falls.
Common causes that can lead to increased risk of fall due to weakening inner ear system:
- Bilateral vestibulopathy- here in we need to monitor the inner ear functioning on the regular
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): this is more common in the elderly. This gives a spinning sensation where the person does not have the time to recover from the spinning and leads to a fall. In this case, the injury due to the fall is more grievous than the problem itself.
You need to get a yearly ENT check up and assessment every year after the age of 60. If you are to get your balancing checked- you need to get it done regularly over the age of 70 years; provided you do not have any other balancing problems or other ENT problems/ issues.
If you are struggling with vertigo on the regular, you can visit a Vertigo clinic which only looks into vertigo related issues and check/ look into the functional balance issues- if any. Structural revaluation- via MRI, CT scan, etc.
For functional evaluation of the inner ear the following investigations are done- Vestibular-nystagmography, videonystagmography (VNG), other tests to locate and pinpoint the problem thereby helping in diagnosing and treating the cause.
Sulcus vocalis is a gross voice disorder which can be treated non surgically- injection laryngoplasty- this is provided the individual has undergone adequate voice and vocal therapy and has still not been relieved of his symptoms.
- Day care surgeries- micro surgery
Vasomotor rhinitis can cause nose blockage, discomfort, and can give rise to a syndrome called the myofacial pain syndrome. The nose and nose tissues are very sensitive to temperature and pressure in the environment. This is different from allergies.
The symptoms are invariably mild- moderate- and can be managed. If the symptoms are severe- you can use topical steroid sprays. No use of oral medications are required.
