BALANCE

SYMPTOMS

The common indication that you may have balance problems include:

• A feeling of lightheadedness or faintness
• Vision changes
• Confusion 
• Unsteadiness or loss of balance
• A feeling of spinning or motion
• Dizziness or feeling of floating

Furthermore, balance problems can be due to various conditions. Thus, the symptoms may depend on what conditions you have. It may be caused by the following conditions:

• BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
• Vestibular neuritis
• Meniere’s disease
• Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness
• Migraines
• Acoustic neuroma
• Motion sickness
• Head injury

DIAGNOSIS

To diagnose balance problems, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms, medical history, and perform a neurological and physical exam. Moreover, it is important to tell your doctor all the symptoms you have so he/she can diagnose it correctly. 

To find out if your symptoms are due to problems in your inner ear, the doctor will probably suggest the following tests:

• Posturography test
• Hearing test
• Rotary chair test
• Electronystagmography and videonystagmography
• Heart rate and blood pressure test
• Ct Scan or MRI
• Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials test

After your doctor confirms the cause of your problems, he/she will give you the right treatment. 

TREATMENT

The treatment varies on the cause of your problems. Some of these treatments include:

• Lifestyle changes and diet
• Balance retraining exercises
• Medications
• Positioning procedures
• Surgery if needed

So, if you are experiencing balance problems, don’t hesitate to seek immediate medical care so that the doctor can diagnose and treat your condition appropriately.