DIZZINESS AND BALANCE

What is a balance disorder?

A balance disorder may take the form of dizziness or vertigo. Dizziness and balance disorders are considered to be symptoms, not a disease. The word vertigo actually refers to the sensation that a room is spinning, resulting in a loss of balance. Dizziness and balance go hand in hand because if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or nauseous, your balance may be affected.

DIZZINESS AND BALANCE: WHAT CAUSES BALANCE DISORDERS?

Vertigo is one of the most common medical complaints if a person experiences dizziness and balance disorders. According to doctors, vertigo usually occurs when there are issues in the vestibular systems, where the structures of the inner ear are located. The vestibular system is responsible for integrating the movement and sensory stimuli and also for keeping objects in focus as the body moves.

If you or someone you know is experiencing dizziness and balance problems, don’t hesitate to get checked by clinicians. If you are in Springfield, PA and are looking for a hearing clinic that offers complete diagnostic evaluation to help you get to the bottom of your dizzy spells and balance-related problems, schedule an appointment with us! At PA Center for Hearing and Balance, patients come first and the audiologists can provide not only a simple diagnostic evaluation but further medical tests to ensure that the diagnosis is accurate and that the problems are given the right treatment.

PA CENTER FOR HEARING AND BALANCE

DIZZINESS AND BALANCE TREATMENT AND SERVICES

Before treatment for dizziness and balance disorders is discussed with a patient, it is important that each symptom is carefully checked and to make sure to rule out any underlying conditions. PA Center for Hearing and Balance offers different advanced tests and techniques to check dizziness and balance problems which include Videonystagmography (VNG), Electrocochleography (ECochG), and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR).

DIZZINESS AND BALANCE DIAGNOSTIC TEST

VIDEONYSTAGMOGRAPHY (VNG)

A videonystagmography test is used by physicians or hearing health care professionals to determine if there is a vestibular disease that is causing the dizziness and balance problem. VNG tests are backed by clinical studies and research to effectively decipher between a bilateral and unilateral vestibular loss. When a patient undergoes VNG testing, he or she receives a series of tests to document the ability to follow objects using vision. VNG also tests dizziness and balance by determining how well and how quickly the eyes respond to information sent from the vestibular system.

ELECTROCOCHLEOGRAPHY (ECOCHG)

Electrocochleography is a complex test that records the electrical activity of the cochlea, which is a part of the inner ear. ECochG is commonly carried out to diagnose or rule out Meniere’s disease. The EcochG is performed by putting a very small and thin electrode in the ear canal and positioning it very close to the eardrum, also known as tympanic membrane. During the test, the ear is stimulated with sounds and those sounds are transformed into vibrations sent to the inner ear. The said vibrations are then converted into electrical impulses in the inner ear and those impulses are measured and recorded using computer software. A professional is needed to carry out this test.
The ear is then stimulated with sounds. These sounds are transformed into vibrations in the middle ear —your ear does this naturally and automatically all the time. The vibrations are turned into electrical impulses in the inner ear and are recorded and measured using computer software.

AUDITORY BRAINSTEM RESPONSE (ABR)

With the ABR, both the cranial VIII nerve pathway and the inner ear is tested. The ABR measures the timing of different electrical waves that responds to sounds in the ear. Sounds are delivered through earphones and electrodes are placed on the forehead and behind the ears to get the needed information from the responses. The auditory brainstem response test can allow professional hearing health practitioners to check if there is something blocking along the cranial VIII pathway that leads to the brainstem. Common blocks may include an infection, a tumor or degeneration of the nerve itself, which is more common with elderly.

If you or someone you know is experiencing dizziness or balance problems, we are here to help.

TREATMENT OF DIZZINESS AND BALANCE DISORDERS

Adults, seniors, and children may all be susceptible to dizziness and balance disorders. One moment, they may be sitting, and when they stand up, they may fall or collapse. A clear medical evaluation needs to be made in order to treat not only the symptoms but also the cause of the symptoms.

Treatment of dizziness and balance disorder depends on the source or cause of the symptoms.
It is highly recommended that you see an audiologist if you are experiencing problems with your balance. Call PA Center for Hearing and Balance and set an appointment today.