Comprehensive Balance Evaluations

Bring Balance to your Life: Understanding your Dizziness…

What is dizziness?

Dizziness does not feel the same for all people. For some people it is a lightheadedness to a full-on spinning sensation (Vertigo). Some feel faint and some feel as if they are moving when they’re not. Some people simply cannot maintain their balance, but have no other unusual sensations.

Dizziness often occurs along with other symptoms; nausea, anxiety, hearing loss, fullness in the head or ears, or a ringing in the ears called Tinnitus.

How common is dizziness?

It is estimated that 40% of all adults experience dizziness severe enough to warrant reporting to their doctors. Dizziness is the second most common complaint people bring to their doctors with lower back pain being the first.

What causes dizziness?

Dizziness can be a symptom of a variety of health disorders. Most common are vestibular disorders. The primary role of the vestibular system (the dizziness and balance control centers located in each ear) is to tell the brain where the head is. It is the internal reference that tells our brain where we are in the world and how to respond to it. Our vision and other senses (touch, sound, etc.) provide external references to tell our brain how things are moving in the environment around us. If the vestibular system is not doing its job, this shows up as a balance problem.

Is there help for those with dizziness?

Yes! Fortunately, most causes of dizziness are detectable especially with today’s sophisticated computerized diagnostic techniques. To determine if a vestibular weakness or imbalance exists, a series of tests must be performed. Your physician will order the needed tests based on your history and symptoms. In our office, a case history of your symptoms will be taken, followed by a thorough diagnostic testing battery. The Balance and Dizziness evaluation is very different from a hearing evaluation and involves special diagnostic tests that allow the Audiologist to identify the intensity of your balance issues so that the appropriate treatment protocol can be selected.

What is your next step?

Fill out our Dizziness Questionnaire and Request an Appointment for your personal evaluation!