| On occasion, I hear from patients who complain of | | | | adrenaline, such as in an anxiety attack or severe |
| feeling dizzy as if they are going to fall when they turn | | | | trauma. Adrenaline is slowly injected into your arm and |
| their head suddenly, or lose their balance if they turn | | | | the table you are lying on is tilted in different positions. |
| around in a circle. They may also admit to motion | | | | Hearing test: To determine if you have an inner ear |
| sickness, i.e., feeling a little dizzy and unstable riding a | | | | condition. |
| bike or traveling by airplane or boat. | | | | Electronystagmography - monitors eye movement to |
| Balance problems such as these could be a sign of | | | | see how well your inner ear/balance works. |
| certain medical conditions. There are many types of | | | | Dix-Hallpike test - involves turning your head and |
| balance difficulties and their causes can be simple, | | | | monitoring eye movements to see if you get a sense |
| such as a drop in blood sugar or dehydration from not | | | | of spinning or motion. |
| drinking enough water. | | | | VEMP - vestibular evoked myogenic potential test. |
| Other equilibrium problems may be more complex and | | | | Electrodes (like those on an EKG) are placed on neck, |
| need neurological testing to determine their cause. Let | | | | shoulder, and forehead muscles to monitor |
| me explain the various types of conditions that effect | | | | contractions in response to sound. |
| balance and their possible causes so you can | | | | Rotary Chair test - monitors eye movement while you |
| determine if you need to call your doctor, or re-hydrate | | | | move slowly in a circle in a computerized chair. |
| with a good mineral replacement drink, or have a glass | | | | Treatment for Your Balance Problem |
| of orange juice and a snack! | | | | Once the cause of your imbalance has been |
| Types of Balance Problems | | | | determined, there are a number of treatments aimed |
| As I said earlier, balance problems can have simple or | | | | at solving your problem. These may include: |
| complex causes. Basically, they fall into four categories: | | | | Medication dosage adjustment/discontinuation |
| Vertigo - a spinning, dizzy sensation with motion of the | | | | substitution - often a dosage change is all that is |
| head or body. This category can be caused by | | | | needed to stop symptoms. Other times, a complete |
| several medical conditions that need a doctor's care. | | | | discontinuation of a drug is necessary. |
| These include: | | | | Vestibular rehabilitation - this is a special exercise |
| Benign positional vertigo - caused by particles that | | | | program for people with inner ear problems to |
| accumulate in the inner canal. | | | | re-stabilize balance. |
| Meniere's disease - excessive fluid in the inner ear, | | | | Fall prevention - determining if vision, lack of |
| causing dizziness, ringing or buzzing. | | | | sensation in the feet, weak muscles and joints are |
| Vestibular migraine - a bad headache that makes | | | | contributing to poor balance symptoms. You may need |
| you sensitive to motion, turning your head suddenly can | | | | a walker or just a hand held quad cane. |
| result in dizziness or off balance feeling. | | | | Positioning procedures - clears crystal deposits out |
| Acoustic neuroma - caused by a tumor on the | | | | of the inner ear back where they belong. |
| acoustic nerve (connects inner ear to brain) that can | | | | Diet changes - reducing salt, caffeine or nicotine |
| cause hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and dizziness. | | | | can help some people with balance problems |
| Motion sickness - riding on amusement park rides, | | | | completely get rid of their symptoms. |
| boats causes dizziness. | | | | Surgery - if you have a tumor or malfunction in |
| Feeling Faint - a general weakness, usually organic | | | | your inner ear, you may need surgery to correct it. |
| cause (blood pressure or blood sugar drop) | | | | Types of surgery include gamma knife surgery, or |
| Disequilibrium - a loss of balance or falling, usually from | | | | stereotactic surgery that delivers radiation directly to |
| mechanical causes (unstable joints, failing vision, inner | | | | the tumor site. |
| ear conditions, side effect of medication). | | | | Some Natural Remedies That May Help You |
| Lightheadedness - an "out of body" sensation, usually | | | | If you experience temporary, occasional motion |
| caused by high/low blood oxygen levels from hyper | | | | sickness while traveling by boat or airplane, you may |
| hypoventilation (anxiety, severe trauma), or inner ear | | | | be able to treat this condition yourself with: |
| conditions. | | | | OTC's: Over the counter aids such as a Dramamine, |
| Tests for Balance Problems | | | | or meclizine that can help you to regain your sense of |
| If you determine that your dizziness/balance problem is | | | | stability. |
| not a result of lack of food or water, the next thing | | | | Herbal: The Chinese have used Ginger for centuries as |
| you should do is make an appointment with your | | | | a stomach tonic and to restore balance. 250 to 500 |
| doctor. There are certain balance tests that can be | | | | mg every 6 hours is the usual dosage. A word of |
| performed, or you may be sent for a CAT scan or | | | | caution, if you take blood thinner-type medications for |
| MRI of your head to see if there are any structural | | | | a heart problem, ginger can add to those effects and |
| causes of your balance problems (like tumor or inner | | | | make you bleed more easily. |
| ear abnormality). | | | | Acupressure: Stimulating certain acupressure points on |
| Your doctor will discuss your balance problems with | | | | your inner wrist can alleviate motion sickness. Bands, |
| you and may ask a series of questions about your | | | | or bracelets, made for this purpose can be bought in |
| dizzy spells including the frequency, what you are | | | | drugstores or airport shops. They have a button or |
| doing when they occur, and what type of medications | | | | stud on them that presses against the acupuncture |
| you may be taking to rule out the possibility of a side | | | | meridian on your wrist that regulates dizziness/ |
| effect. Next, you may undergo one, or several of the | | | | balance. |
| following tests to pinpoint the cause of your | | | | We all can have a bout of lightheadedness or feel off |
| symptoms: | | | | kilter now and then from simple causes like being tired, |
| EKG, possibly heart echocardiogram: To see if a too | | | | dehydrated, partying too much the night before, too |
| slow heart rhythm, or too low blood ejection from your | | | | much caffeine, not eating enough or riding a roller |
| heart could be the cause of your symptoms. | | | | coaster! However, balance problems that occur |
| MRI or CAT scan: To determine if there is any | | | | regularly is your body telling you that something is off |
| physical abnormality such as a tumor or blood vessel | | | | somewhere and you should consult your doctor to find |
| blockage that may cause your symptoms. | | | | out what. |
| Tilt Table test: To determine your heart's response to | | | | |