First-class and top-notch on all of life’s fronts, Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s Kevin Northway blends doing right and good with a creative mind and heart, all while working his way through each day with a never-ending sense of humor.
“If I knew I was going to live this long (age 70), I would have taken better care of myself,’’ Northway, an easy-to-chat-with type, said with a chuckle. “To that, I don’t feel 70, whatever 70 is supposed to feel like.’’
Active and forever on the go, Northway, who had already benefitted from the orthopedic (back, hip and hamstring) expertise of Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Kevin Lux, PT, MPT, CSCS, was in a pinch of trouble.
Truth-be-told; it was more than a pinch, or even a dash. It was a large, unexpected serving of dizziness. A champion of creativity as a senior art director for a top-flight Cedar Rapids ad agency, Northway’s world was spinning. And not in a work-related, deadline-meeting way.
Dealing with what is commonly referred to as vertigo, one of a plethora of vestibular issues, Northway was referred for physical therapy at Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Vestibular Clinic (202 10 Street S.E. Suite 210 Cedar Rapids, 319-247-3425).
For years, Rock Valley and Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa have together offered expert, one-on-one care for a variety of health-related issues. There, Northway would benefit from the expertise of Rock Valley’s Emma Walker, PT, DPT, Certificate of Competency in Vestibular Rehabilitation (CCVR), LSVT BIG/ Certified Clinician and Rock Valley Clinic Manager (
An expert in vestibular issues, Walker says the inner ear houses the vestibular system, responsible for balance, spatial orientation, and coordinating eye movements with head movements. When this system is affected, dizziness is often present. The sensation of feeling like you are moving when you’re not moving, typically appears as room-spinning dizziness. A common symptom of inner-ear dysfunction; vertigo is often triggered by head position changes. If the vestibular system is weak, more generalized dizziness is often present, especially when moving.
Rolling over in bed, bending over, turning your head quickly, tipping the head back or looking up, walking, keeping balance with eyes closed, standing on an uneven surface, reading, focusing on a target when your head is moving, or shifting eyes from one target to another are common aggravating activities.
“I began seeing Kevin for the first time in June of 2025,’’ Walker said. “We took care of his dizziness with treatments and a home exercise program. “We completed exercises for retraining the vestibular and central nervous systems. Treatment involves eye, head and body movement exercises, balance training, and habituation exercises to reduce irritability of common daily activities. I discharged Kevin in August with all of his goals met and dizziness resolved.’’
“Things went really well in the summer and then I just sat up one day (in December) and it was the “spinning room’’ thing again,’’ Northway said. “And the good thing – and this is always the case (with Rock Valley Physical Therapy) – they got me in right away. Knowing that I had a place to go that understood what was happening to me, made the call easier. I knew this could happen, but you don’t think about it happening again. But I knew where I could get help.’’
Soon, Northway was in the capable hands of Madison Gehrke, PT, DPT, who was stepping in for Walker, allowing Walker to maintain her filled schedule, but making sure time was allotted for Northway’s emergency. Gehrke would evaluate and treat Northway upon his return. Walker would handle things thereafter.
“Through manipulation and head position, Madison found a way to balance the crystals and I felt better,’’ said Northway, who also suffers from migraines and understood how important it was to seek help immediately to calm his vestibular issue. “My inner ear and my eyes were out of sync. I am amazed that they (Walker and Gehrke) could notice that. No one let the situation get too far.’’
Walker says Northway was dealing with BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) where otoconia (commonly referred to as ear crystals) housed in your otolith organs of your inner ear/vestibular system become dislodged (sometimes from just dumb luck) and are rolling around in the semicircular canals of your inner ear. This condition leads someone to have severe dizziness associated with changes in body position.
From there, Walker and Northway continued their work on his issues, incorporating Frenzel (specialized infrared goggles) used by therapists to diagnose and treat balance issues by recording eye movements during specific head movements, all helping identify inner ear issues.
“Emma is so thorough, telling me what is happening with treatment – every step – especially with the goggles – making sure I knew what every little step meant,’’ Northway explained, singing Walker’s praises. “I knew the end goal, but Emma wants to make sure you are informed and comfortable along the way. There is a reassuring confidence that Emma presents that shows me she can help. And she has helped me. And Madison, she knew I was out of whack, found the crystal and went from there. They fixed me.’’
Vestibular issues, it must be noted, are complex. Walker says it is important to never go at it alone. It’s important to seek help when symptoms arise.
“Call an expert in the field,’’ she said. “Avoid things like YouTube. If you do the wrong treatment for the wrong side, you can make the condition worse. Just call Rock Valley (Physical Therapy) immediately. Kevin’s issue was helped in one-to-two treatments, but we see many people with much more complex versions of BPPV which can take more treatments, especially if multiple sides and canals are involved.
“Physical therapists are the primary provider assisting with treatment of vestibular conditions, all physical therapists can treat vestibular conditions although some of us have additional training and see more of it than others,’’ added Walker. “We recommend that someone sees a vestibular specialist if they are able. Many doctors can identify what the problem may be, but there are minimal options they can do for resolution, especially for positional vertigo or BPPV. That is why seeing a physical therapist (even without a referral) for dizziness can often be a better route than seeking resolution at an urgent care facility or hospital.’’
Northway, Walker says, has reached resolution of his symptoms, and he has been great to work with.
“Kevin understands what he is dealing with and why seeing a physical therapist is a better route than being seen at an urgent care or hospital,’’ Walker said. “Despite a troubling issue he is great to work with and be around. He understands help is just a phone call away and we will make whatever adjustments that are needed to see him right away.’’
By: Johnny Marx, Storyteller