Balance
What causes dizziness and balance problems?
As ENT specialists, we are uniquely equipped to diagnose and treat balance issues because the inner ear plays a crucial role in maintaining equilibrium. Conditions such as vertigo, Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) often originate from problems within the ear’s balance system.
To understand all the things that could possibly go wrong with the balance system, it is important to understand how your balance works in the first place. The brain depends on three systems in your body to maintain your balance and keep you upright:
- The inner ear contains a hearing organ and a balance organ. The balance portion is a tiny motion detector that senses movement as well as gravity. Any time you move, your ears know which way you moved, how fast you moved, when you started, and when you stopped. All of this information is then sent to the brain.
- The eyes also make a large contribution. You have to be able to see clearly, for one thing. Second, your eyes help your brain distinguish vertical from horizontal. And third, your eyes must be able to make very quick, controlled movements in order to keep up with moving objects in your environment.
- Somatosensation and proprioception are big words that simply refer to your body’s sense of space. This encompasses your weight distribution, gravity, and the muscle tension from all of your joints.
Your brain needs input from the inner ear, the eyes, and your somatosensory system in order to stay balanced. However, these three systems also have to communicate amongst themselves, and they must be in agreement when they send signals to the brain. If any one system becomes weak or impaired, the brain has a difficult time interpreting the resulting signal. That’s when you feel dizzy or off-balance.
Balance Tests
Sensory Organization Performance
The SOP test is a functional test of your balance. You will be asked to remove your shoes, and complete a short series of balance tasks. Some involve closing your eyes, marching in place, or standing on a piece of thick foam. The Audiologist looks for patterns of sway or instability that help distinguish the cause of your balance problem, as well as the effect it may be having on your everyday activities.
Videonystagmography
Often considered the “gold standard” of balance testing, VNG assesses both the eyes and the ears. If a true inner ear problem is found, VNG can usually isolate which ear is the culprit. It also helps screen for other “central” causes of dizziness that may be related to the brain or neurologic function. You will wear a special pair of goggles that are equipped with video cameras, and the Audiologist will monitor your eye movement throughout the evaluation.
Once the balance testing is completed, the Audiologist is usually able to discuss the results right away. Some test findings require more in-depth analysis, and you may have to wait to discuss the results during your follow up visit with the Otolaryngologist. That ENT visit is also an opportunity for you to receive further clarification about your test findings, learn more about your treatment options, and ask questions you may have forgotten to ask your Audiologist on the day of testing.
Schedule An Appointment
Schedule An Appointment
Contact
Frankfort: 502-226-6494
Georgetown: 502-867-7806
Lexington: 859-629-7140
Email: info@entspec.com
Offices
Frankfort: 279 Kings Daughters Drive
Suite 202
Georgetown: 150 Mt. Vernon Road
Suite 202
Lexington: 101 Prosperous Place
Suite 150
Office Hours
Frankfort: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Georgetown: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lexington: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Contact
Frankfort: (502) 226-6494
Georgetown: (502)867-7806
Lexington: (859) 629-7140
Email: info@entspec.com
Offices
Frankfort
279 Kings Daughters Drive
Suite 202
Georgetown
150 Mt. Vernon Road
Suite 202
Lexington
101 Prosperous Place
Suite 150
Office Hours
Frankfort: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Georgetown: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lexington: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Providing compassionate and specialized Ear, Nose and Throat care for patients throughout Central Kentucky, including Frankfort, Georgetown, Lexington, Versailles, and surrounding counties.