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Balance DisordersMost people at one time or another in their lives have experienced some type of “dizziness” associated with lightheadedness, an imbalance disorder, or the spinning sensation commonly known as vertigo. In fact, dizziness is the second most common complaint physicians hear from their geriatric patients. There is a close relationship between the hearing and balance systems because they share the same space in the inner ear. The inner ear is comprised of two parts, the cochlea that houses the sensory organs responsible for our hearing, and the semicircular canals that help us maintain our balance. We call the semicircular canals and the nerve that links them to the brain, the vestibular system. This system works in conjunction with other important systems, such as the visual and the tactile senses, to maintain balance. If your have any of the following symptoms, please call Metro Hearing Services Balance, Dizziness and Vestibular Center at (602) 866-0147. What is balance?Balance or equilibrium rely on our central nervous system's ability to integrate information from our inner ear, eyes, muscles and sensations of touch. Nearly one third of all adults over the age of 65 years experience dizziness, falls or balance problems. Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. 5% of all falls lead to fracture and can be debilitating. What causes instability or loss of balance?
What is meant by dizziness?The term "dizziness" is a vague description of symptoms yet 10% of all doctor visits are for the symptoms of dizziness. "Dizziness" is often used to describe sensations such as light-headedness, giddiness, feelings of floating or being outside the body or sense of turning, spinning or rocking inside the head. Still, at other times "dizziness" is used to describe problems with balance. What causes dizziness?Insufficient blood flow to the brain: Patients will generally use words like "woozy", or terms such as "about the blackout", "tunnel vision", "about to faint" are all associated with insufficient blood flow to the brain. Generally, these symptoms are worth when standing and improve while lying down. This type of dizziness is frequently experienced by a healthy people who rise quickly from a chair or after a meal and have a few seconds of disorientation. There are psychological conditions that all cause dizziness; such as heightened anxiety or hyperventilation. In these conditions typically you listed light-headedness, a sense of unsteadiness or sensation of tingling around the mouth and fingertips. Are the terms vertigo and dizziness the same thing?NO! Vertigo is a term that describes a sense of motion though the body is really at rest. Typically vertigo express's a spinning sensation as if getting off of a merry-go-round. Sometimes the term is also used for linear motions or rocking sensations. How Is Motion Sensed?Angular motion is sensed by the inner ear's balance mechanism, (the Semi-Circular Canals). The three canals are arranged to sense motion in the vertical, horizontal and diagonal planes. Each canal can be likened to a bicycle tire inner tube filled with fluid, (endolymph). There is a membrane at one point, (the cupula), attached to and crossing the inner tube, (membrane wall), which is sensitive to fluid movement. Causes of dizziness disorders include:
Treatments of dizziness disorders include:
Note: BPPV is a common type of dizziness associated with brief episodes of vertigo when the head is moving up or down, or rolling over in bed. Typically, the episode lasts 10-60 seconds then goes away. BPPV affects more men than women. Sometimes BPPV resolves itself. |
