Dizzy And Unbalanced?

By Author: Beth Ehrlich
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Dizzy and Unbalanced?

Where do those with dizziness and balance issues go? What can be done? Who can help? What type of evaluations might be encountered? For those suffering with feeling off balanced, dizzy, lightheaded, and even feeling like they or the room is spinning, it is imperative to seek and find help quickly. Persons experiencing difficulties in this area have a large load to bear.

How Your Audiologist Can Help

Many persons will turn to their otolaryngologist (ENT) in times of balance or dizzy issues. Often the ENT will recommend that balance evaluations be carried out. Typically these measurements will be completed by a licensed audiologist. Audiologists are mostly known for their contributions to hearing loss and management, but many do not realize that they are also specialists in the area of balance.

The inner ear houses the organs related to balance: the semicircular canals, the utricle, and the saccule. Fluid balances and connections to vision in these organs control man’s ability to stand upright and maintain posture and balance. Any disorder affecting these areas, as well as the ...
... brain centers associated, will result in difficulties with dizziness and/or balance.

Not all feelings of dizziness or off-balanced sensations are linked to these areas. Some may be related to blood circulation, hypertension, and sugar disorders (hypo/hyper-glycemia, diabetes). Balance evaluations, called vestibular evaluations, can help to determine the origin of the disorder and will help to rule out these other possible cause.

Vestibular Evaluations

What can you do to prepare yourself for a vestibular evaluation? On the day of an evaluation, it is often wise to not wear makeup or lotions on the face and neck areas. Some measurements may require small fabric “stickers” called electrodes be worn in these areas. Wearing lotions and makeup can serve to hinder the connection of these electrodes to the skin. Better connections = better readings.

Expect to feel dizzy at one point or another during evaluation. Some measurements are designed to make you dizzy on purpose. It is often necessary to see what is happening to the patient while dizzy or off-balanced to understand the origin of the problem.

Prepare to be lazy one moment and interactive the next. To rule out specific issues underlying dizziness and balance disorders, some objective evaluations will require the patient to be very quiet and relaxed, unmoving. These examinations are often termed “lazy boy” evaluations because the patient will typically sit or lie back comfortably, even sleeping during measurements. Other evaluations may require changing of positions (from lying down to leaning back, to sitting up, etc.) in order to see how movement affects the issues you are experiencing. You may be asked to following small dots of light with your eyes in various patterns. The audiologist may ask you questions during the testing that you may find odd. For example, he/she may ask you to name a girl whose name begins with M, K, S, U or similar questions, in order to prevent you from actively controlling your dizziness during evaluation. These are not tests, so it’s okay if you cannot think of ‘Ursula’ as a ‘U’ name for a girl. You may be seated in a r
otating chair or have objects spun around you. You may stand on a platform that changes angles beneath your feet.

Depending on the measures evaluated, your testing can take from 30 minutes to 2 hours or so. Talk to your audiologist or ENT about what to expect from your individualized assessment. They can help you to be fully prepared, without being too anxious for what is to come. The more compliant to testing procedures, the quicker, and more accurate your results will be. You’ll be well on your way to determining the cause and the treatment for your dizziness and balance disorders!

Dr. Beth Ehrlich, Au.D. received her clinical Audiology Doctorate Degree (Au.D.) from the Arizona School of Health Sciences in 2001, her master's degree in Audiology from San Jose State University in 1977, and her bachelor's degree in Audiology from San Diego State University in 1974. Dr. Ehrlich is licensed by the state of California as an Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser. http://hearing-aids-fremont-ca.com, http://www.hearingcenterofcastrovalley.com