WHAT IS BALANCE?

To maintain balance the vestibular (inner ear) system works in conjunction with the eyes and sensory nerves of the muscles to send information to the brain (proprioception). The eyes send visual signals to the brain about the body's position in relation to its surroundings. The inner ear is composed of semicircular canals, the vestibule, and cochlea. The endolymph fluid in the semicircular canals sends signals to the brain about the body's position; whether you're lying down, standing upright, or moving. Sensory input from the joints and muscles tells the brain if you're standing on solid ground or uneven surfaces. If there's a dysfunction with one of these components it can become difficult to maintain balance.

We don't normally have to consciously think about balance control. It's an automatic function. When the body is forced to compensate for imbalance it can result in fatigue, anxiety, and gait disturbances.

Because there are many causes of imbalance disorder it's important to accurately describe your symptoms to your physician. The most common symptoms are dizziness, vertigo, headache, nausea, and falling. Your doctor will ask you to describe the dizziness; do you feel faint or do you feel like the room is spinning? What is the duration of the dizzy spells? Does a specific activity bring them on such as rolling over in bed or standing from a seated position? Are there any other symptoms such as ringing in the ears?

Based on your symptoms the physician may administer various tests to determine the cause of the balance disorder. After testing and diagnosis, treatment options will be discussed. Some balance disorders can be treated simply with a change in medication while in others surgery may be indicated. Balance retraining may be recommended to target specific imbalance problems.