Your neurologist or movement disorder specialist will perform a history and physical examination of your eye movements, cranial nerves, speech, coordination, gait, and sensation. They may order imaging including MRIs or CT scans to determine a neurological cause of your balance symptoms.
Our neurologists and neurosurgeons diagnose and treat balance dysfunction that is the result of neurologic disorders or neurologic impairment. While the vast majority of balance problems are caused by problems with the inner ear, there may be neurological causes for balance disorders which require neurological care.
Neurological Conditions
Illnesses like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and cervical spondylosis slowly damage the way your nervous system talks to your brain, which can affect your balance. Physical therapy can help you manage the symptoms.
Balance retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation).
Therapy can help you compensate for imbalance, adapt to less balance and maintain physical activity. To prevent falls, your therapist might recommend a balance aid, such as a cane, and ways to reduce your risk of falls in your home.
Healthcare providers typically perform a Romberg test on all people who are having issues with balance, dizziness and falls to help determine if their balance issues are related to issues with proprioception. They also often include the test during physical neurological exams.
Common causes include inner ear problems, medicines, infections, and traumatic brain injury. These disorders can occur at any age. But they are most common as you get older. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and can include medicine, rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes.
Imaging studies of the head including CT scan (Computed Tomography scan) or MRI scan (Magnetic resonance imaging scan) are performed to check for injuries and abnormalities in the brain and cerebellum part of the brain that controls balance and coordination.
If you feel like you're not very steady on your feet or lose your balance while walking it could be an issue with your vestibular system (again, the part of the inner ear that helps you stay balanced). You could also be dealing with joint, muscle, or vision problems.
Many medical conditions can cause balance problems. However, most balance problems result from issues in your balance organ in the inner ear (vestibular system).
Causes of balance problems include medications, ear infection, a head injury, or anything else that affects the inner ear or brain. Low blood pressure can lead to dizziness when you stand up too quickly.
However, chronic balance problems may indicate a serious medical condition. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes and, in some cases, may even save lives. See a doctor if a person experiences: dizziness so severe that they cannot safely walk or drive.
Neurological conditions: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are examples of medical conditions that may affect your sense of balance. Cardiovascular disease: Heart issues may make you feel faint, lightheaded or dizzy and affect your balance.
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems.
If your primary care doctor suspects you have a balance disorder, he or she may refer you to a ENT specialist for further testing. An ENT specialist, also known as an otolaryngologist, is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose, neck and throat.
The ear is a sensory organ that picks up sound waves, allowing us to hear. It is also essential to our sense of balance: the organ of balance (the vestibular system) is found inside the inner ear.
A spinning sensation when you're not actually moving (vertigo) Veering side to side as you walk. Falling, or feeling like you are going to fall. Constant motion sensitivity.
Balance problems become more common with age. In adults over age 65, balance problems are linked to falls. One-third of adults in this age group and over half of people over the age of 75 years fall each year. Men and women are affected about equally.
Generally, balance disorders last for a couple of days and the patient recovers slowly over 1 to 3 weeks. However, some patients may experience symptoms that can last for several months.
Oxygen doesn't travel as quickly to your brain, muscles, and organs. This may cause sensations of balance loss every once in a while. Neurological conditions. If you have a health condition like Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis, you have a greater risk of losing your balance.
Posturography, also known as computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). This test measures how well you can keep your balance while standing. It can help find out whether a balance disorder is caused by a problem with your inner ear, eyes, or nerve signals from your feet and legs.
Falls, dizziness and balance problems are common MS symptoms. But there are a few things you can try to manage them. Read about physio, walking aids and treatments.
Cerebellum. The cerebellum sits at the back of the brain and controls your sense of balance. This allows you to stand up, walk in a straight line, and know if you are standing up or sitting down.
Loss of balance is a symptom of both Ménière's disease and lupus. However, dizziness and spinning sensation (vertigo) that may cause loss of balance are hallmark signs of Ménière's disease while loss of balance is an uncommon symptom of lupus.
Leg weakness can be caused by a variety of medical conditions, some of which are serious. Possible causes include stroke, systemic diseases, inflammatory conditions, nerve damage, muscle disorders, and medication side effects.