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Most people do not associate the ears with balance, but in fact there
are six little canals in the inner ear (three canals on each side)
that give our brain most of the information about where we are in
space and how we or our surroundings are moving. Our eyes and muscles
also give the brain critical clues, which are also important factors
when evaluating a patient with balance problems.
Extensive Case History
We try to avoid the word “dizzy,”
as it can encompass so many different meanings. We first take an
extensive case history that documents the type of sensation, when the
balance problem happens, the medications you are taking, and other
things your body might undergo when you are experiencing a balance
episode. When this examination is completed, we do a series of tests
that show us how your eyes react to movement and position. We can
determine if a person has Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
which is a common cause of vertigo — when
the world spins around you, but you are not moving.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
About 20% of all “dizziness”
complaints stem from BPPV. While BPPV very rarely occurs in children,
the older you are the more likely BPPV is the cause of the “dizziness.”
Within the elderly community, 50% of “dizziness”
complaints is due to BPPV. The symptoms of BPPV include “dizziness”
or vertigo, off-balanced sensation, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting
and blurred vision. The particular activity that can bring on symptoms
of vertigo will vary among individuals. Symptoms are almost always
caused by a change in head position with respect to gravity. Some
common problematic motions include tipping the head back to look up,
getting out of bed, or rolling over in bed. The signs and symptoms of
BPPV can come and go, with episodes commonly lasting less than one
minute. Episodes of BPPV can disappear for some time and then recur.
If BPPV is not the reason for the balance problem, we can conduct
other types of tests to determine the cause. We work closely with your
physician and other medical professionals depending on your case. We
can help with a rehabilitation program that involves home exercises.
A referral from your primary physician is needed for balance testing
and remediation. The referral is required even for Medicare. |
