Balance and Dizziness

Balance & Dizziness

Dizziness is one of the most difficult complaints to assess because it is a subjective sensation that cannot be directly and objectively measured.  Dizziness frequently represents many separate overlapping sensations that can be caused by a multitude of different pathophysiologic processes.    

Evaluation and treatment of patients with dizziness will differ significantly once the category of dizziness has been determined.  It is imperative that clinicians take a careful history to determine the type of dizziness prior to initiating further workup.  

These patients are typically challenging from a diagnostic standpoint.  Their own difficulty in providing a clear and succinct history adds to this challenge.  It is helpful to have a solid understanding of the various types of dizziness in order to help obtain an informative history from patients.

Things that can cause dizziness

• Benign positional vertigo
• Labyrinthine infarction
• Vestibular neuronitis
• Labyrinthitis
• Meniere’s disease
• Migraine

Treatment for Balance Disorders

The prescribed treatment for a balance disorder depends on its cause, and treating the cause often eliminates the balance problem. The following treatments may also help to relieve symptoms:

• Balance-training exercises
• Lifestyle changes, such as limiting alcohol and caffeine
• Antibiotics for ear infections
• Anti-vertigo and anti-nausea medications

Aberdeen Audiology can help with the testing and certain types of treatment related to balance disorders. Contact us for more information.