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.
Problems with balance are frequent signs of several illnesses. Many of these problems don't need to be treated by a doctor. However, if you experience balance issues, you should visit a doctor to rule out more serious health issues like a tumor or stroke.
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.
But you should seek medical attention if imbalance isn't a fleeting sensation, if it's debilitating and disrupting your life or if it's putting your safety at risk. The signs you might have a balance disorder include: Prolonged or extreme dizziness. A spinning sensation when you're not actually moving (vertigo)
"Even if you are trying to stand still there is some fluctuation, a random component of postural sway that all people have," said Shirley Rietdyk, a professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology in Purdue's College of Health and Human Sciences.
What is a Balance Disorder? A balance disorder makes you feel like you're moving when you're not. If you're standing, sitting or lying down, you might experience a spinning or floating sensation. If you're walking, you might feel like you're about to tip over.
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.
Background and aims: Heart failure affects most systems of the body and causes various problems in patients. Balance deficits and gait deviations can be a result of these effects.
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. At 70, study participants managed 28 seconds.
Postural sway refers to your body's horizontal balance-seeking movements. This involves your muscles and sensory system working together to keep you upright. Greater postural sway can indicate balancing problems and is commonly seen in people with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia.
Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness. If you have vertigo, you may feel like the world is spinning around you. You feel unbalanced or that you are swaying or moving when you are still. It might get worse when you change position quickly, such as turning over in bed or moving your head to look up.
The dizziness that accompanies anxiety is often described as a sense of lightheadedness or wooziness. There may be a feeling of motion or spinning inside rather than in the environment. Sometimes there is a sense of swaying even though you are standing still.
The term “ADHD walk” refers to an abnormal gait or increased postural sway when walking that is indicative of issues with coordination or balance - two things that are more common in those with ADHD.
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.
Untreated, vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems, such as persistent tingling in the hands and feet or problems with balance. It can lead to mental confusion and forgetfulness because vitamin B-12 is necessary for healthy brain function.
The VEMP is a computerized test used to measure part of the vestibular (balance) system that may be related to dizziness. During the test, you will be asked to lay flat or sit upright on an exam table. Flat recording electrodes (or wires) will be placed on your shoulders, forehead, and neck.
If you are experiencing dizziness, lightheadedness, a spinning sensation, confusion, or blurred vision the first step is to speak with your primary care physician. He or she will begin the process of testing to determine the cause and may refer you to a local neurologist for some aspects of treatment.
Peripheral nerves
The nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord can become damaged, which is called peripheral neuropathy. Weakness, numbness, pain and balance issues can be caused by peripheral neuropathy because it makes it difficult to determine where your body is relative to other objects or the ground.
Vitamin D may improve muscle strength and function, as well as balance due to the improved strength.