LOSS OF BALANCE

Loss of balance occur when your body organs — including your muscles, bones, joints, vision, the balance organ in the inner ear, nerves, heart and blood vessels don’t function normally.

Loss of balance can make a person feel dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded or feeling that as if the room is spinning or as if you will fall down. Loss of balance may also be experienced during sitting, standing or lying down.

Problems with vestibular system can cause loss of balance and any other underlying medical issues.

TYPES

  • Dizziness
  • Feeling of faintness or light headedness (presyncope)
  • Loss of balance or unsteadiness
  • Sense of motion or spinning (vertigo)

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of balance problems include:

  • Confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling a floating sensation
  • Feeling of faintness or light headedness
  • Feeling that the surrounding are spinning
  • Feeling that you’re going to fall down
  • Loss of balance or unsteadiness
  • Sense of motion or spinning
  • Vision changes, such as blurriness

DIAGNOSIS

Your doctor will do essential steps to determine the cause of your loss of balance.

Primary tests includes:

  • A neurological examination
  • Conducting a physical exam
  • Reviewing your medical history

Some tests will also be conducted by your doctor to determine if your loss of balance is caused by inner ear problems.

These include:

  • Hearing tests. Loss of balance can be a result of hearing difficulties.
  • Blood pressure and heart rate tests. Tests to determine significant drops in blood pressure.
  • Dix-Hallpike maneuver. This test will determine whether you have a false sense of motion or spinning.
  • Electronystagmography and video nystagmography. These tests record your eye movements, which play a role in vestibular function and balance.
  • Imaging tests. Tests todetermine if you have underlying medical conditions.
  • Posturography test. Test to indicate which parts of your balance system you rely on the
  • Rotary chair test.Doctors will analyze your eye movements while you are seated on a computer-controlled chair.
  • Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials test. This will measure tiny changes in muscle contractions in reaction to sounds.

TREATMENT

Treatment for loss of balance may vary depending on its signs and symptoms, severity and causes.These treatment includes:

  • Balance-retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation)
  • Diet and lifestyle changes
  • Medications
  • Positioning procedures
  • Surgery

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