Balance and Dizziness Care at The Hearing Clinic
Certified Audiologists in High Point, Greensboro & Asheboro NC
Problems with balance and dizziness can be very serious and need medical attention to keep patients safe and maintain their quality of life. The Hearing Clinic has the area's most advanced inner ear testing facility for balance and dizziness disorders. If the inner ear is the cause of balance and dizziness problems, we will be able to uncover the problem. We offer recommendations or treatment options for these problems, working as a team with primary care physicians or referring specialists. Dr. Philip Griffin is a specialist in vestibular audiology, which is the field concerned with balance and dizziness problems coming from the inner ear. Our comprehensive battery includes (when appropriate):
- Comprehensive Dizzy/Balance Case History
- Videonysagmography (VNG)
- Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Testing
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Testing and Treatment
- Computerized Dynamic Visual Acuity (CD-VAT)
- Neck Rotation Screening Test (NeST)
- Electrocochleography (EcoG)
- Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP)
- Stepping Fukuda Test
- Sensory Organization Test (SOT)
- Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT), self-directed version
- Hyperventilation-Induced Nystagmus Testing (HVIN)
A: Dizziness is a general term for many types of sensations such as vertigo, lightheadedness or giddiness, a feeling that you are about to pass out, wooziness, motion sickness, imbalance or and other feelings that make seeing, walking, or balancing difficult. There are over 75 causes of "dizziness" ranging from inner ear dizziness and vertigo, to infections, to neurological problems. A skilled team of audiologists and physicians will help you find the cause.
Q: What is vertigo?
A: Vertigo is a type of dizziness. More precisely, vertigo is a feeling that the world is spinning around you, or that you are spinning, even though you are perfectly still. It can last a few seconds, or several days depending on the cause. Vertigo is different from other types of dizziness because vertigo makes the person feel that they or the world are spinning, while other types of dizziness do not.
Q: What are the causes of vertigo?
A: Vertigo is most commonly caused by inner ear disorders. Less commonly, it can be caused by neurological problems or blood flow problems. The single most common of vertigo is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.
Q: What is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)?
A: This an inner ear type of dizziness. BPPV is a condition where small debris from one spot in the inner ear fall out of place into a motion sensitive canal where they do not belong. As long as they are out of place, certain head movements cause them to roll around in that motion sensitive canal, causing dizziness. If the head is held still, then the dizziness goes away after some seconds.
Q: What is disequilibrium?
A: This is a fancy word for imbalance, or not being steady on your feet. People who are experiencing disequilibrium may find themselves stumbling, veering, bumping into walls, falling, walking around very cautiously, or just avoiding many activities for fear of falling.
Q: Is having balance trouble, dangerous?
A: Yes, quite so. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among people 65 years and older, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. Each year in the United States, nearly one third of older adults experience a fall.
Q: How are dizziness and balance problems evaluated?
A: Dizziness and vertigo are tested in many ways. An audiologist will test your balance using one of many balance tests, for example, the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) is commonly used. An audiologist will also test your eye movements because they give clues to the function of the inner ear. He or she may use electronystagmography, or the ENG test. This can also be done with a videocamera to observe eye movements, which is called videonystagmography, or VNG.
It's also extremely important to undergo a hearing test, which an audiologist will perform and interpret in the context of other test results. Several inner ear disorders are accompanied by changes in the hearing system, which you may not always notice by the patient, but can be detected with precise audiological diagnostic testing. Sometimes, this can be the key component to making a correct diagnosis.
Q: What are the treatments of vertigo?
A: It depends on what is causing it. Many causes of vertigo may be treated by any of the following: vestibular therapy, canalith repositioning maneuvers, medication, surgery, or exercise. Inner ear problems tend to do well with treatment. Certain types of inner ear dizziness, such as BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), can be completely eliminated for years at a time. Other situations necessitate surgery or aggressive medical management.
Q: What are the treatments for poor balance?
A: Once again, it depends on the cause. Often times, poor balance is helped by balance therapy, which is done by a physical therapist. When the inner ear is involved, it can be improved by inner ear therapy, technically called Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT). Very mild cases can be treated by an exercise program that helps practice balance skills, such as Tai Chi or senior aerobics. When poor balance is caused by a neurological issue, or problem with medication, your family doctor or specialist may be able to improve balance by managing the condition.
