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.
What causes balance disorders? 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.
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.
Your nervous system sends information from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body. If a part of this system is damaged, the signals can't be transmitted effectively, which leads to balance issues and falling. A traumatic injury, such as a concussion or stroke, could cause you to feel off balance.
The cerebellum — also called the "little brain" because it looks like a small version of the cerebrum — is responsible for balance, movement, and coordination.
Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
Imaging tests.
MRI and CT scans can determine if underlying medical conditions might be causing your balance problems.
The ear has two important roles. It is our organ of hearing and our organ of balance.
The most common causes of imbalance without dizziness are related to dysfunction of the muscles, joints and peripheral nerves (proprioceptive system), or the central nervous system (brain). People with bilateral vestibulopathy have balance issues but no dizziness if the damage affects both ears at the same time.
Vitamin B12deficiency symptoms may include: strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet. difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
Lifestyle changes may be recommended, including nutritional counseling, diet changes, increased hydration and exercise. Medications that help control severe vertigo with nausea and vomiting caused by disorders of the inner ear or to control symptoms associated with vestibular migraine may be prescribed.
Researchers have found that balance begins to decline in midlife, starting at about age 50. In one recent study, adults in their 30s and 40s could stand on one foot for a minute or more. At age 50, the time decreased to 45 seconds.
The Romberg test determines if your balance issues are related to the function of your dorsal column by removing the visual and vestibular components that contribute to maintaining balance. It can identify a proprioception-related neurologic condition.
Balance problems and falls are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) but their cause and nature are not well understood. It is known that MS affects many areas of the central nervous system that can impact postural responses to maintain balance, including the cerebellum and the spinal cord.
However, some patients may experience symptoms that can last for several months. For symptoms that don't go away with other treatments, the physician might prefer surgery. Most balance disorders last for a few days to a few months.
Posturography, also known as computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). This test measures your ability to maintain balance while standing.
Orthostatic hypotension
If your morning dizziness sets in when you first sit up or get out of bed, you may be experiencing orthostatic (or postural) hypotension. This is a condition that is caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain and occurs when people get up too quickly after they have been sitting or lying down.
The cerebellum fine tunes motor activity or movement, e.g. the fine movements of fingers as they perform surgery or paint a picture. It helps one maintain posture, sense of balance or equilibrium, by controlling the tone of muscles and the position of limbs.
Numbness, tingling,or weakness. Or you may not be able to move a part or all of one side of the body (paralysis). Dimness, blurring, double vision, or loss of vision in one or both eyes. Loss of speech, trouble talking, or trouble understanding speech.