 A
Patient's Guide
Dizziness
or loss of imbalance is the second
most common complaint heard in
doctor's offices. National
Institute of Health statistics
indicate that dizziness will occur
in 70% of the nation's population
at sometime in their lives.  Although
very common, acute or chronic
problems with equilibrium may
indicate serious health risks or
limit a person's everyday living.
Equilibrium
disorders fall into two
categories. The first
category is dizziness, vertigo, or
motion intolerance that may occur
in acute or sharp attacks lasting
anywhere from a few seconds to
several hours. This
condition may be caused or
worsened by rapid head movements,
turning too quickly, walking or
riding. The second category
is a persistent sense of
imbalance, unsteadiness, or what
some people refer to as a loss of
surefootedness.
The
good news is that diagnosis and
treatment options have become more
effective over the past ten
years. There is hope for
many individuals who once thought
there might be no relief.
Loss
of Balance
Many people believe that loss of
balance and unsteadiness are a
natural result of aging. In
fact, fear of falling is the
number one health concern of
individuals in their later
years. The fear appears not
to be unfounded as the National
Institute of Health statistics
indicate that balance-related
falls account for half of the
accidental deaths in the
population over 65. In
addition, nearly 300,000 hip
fractures and $3 billion dollars
in medical expenses result from
balance-related falls every year.
Human
equilibrium is a complex
interaction that requires correct
input from the inner ear, vision
and somatosensory (contact with
the earth as perceived by our
feet, muscles and joints).
All three signals must then be
correctly received by our central
nervous system. Then the
cerebellum, which is the motor
control portion of the brain, must
execute the correct movement of
our musculoskeletal system so that
we maintain our center of
gravity. If any one or
several components of this
complicated system do not work
properly, then we will have a loss
of surefootedness or movement
coordination.
The
natural aging process may affect
any one or all of these senses as
well as the central nervous
system's ability to interpret and
react quickly to them. It is
very common to hear from someone
who has fallen that they saw the
curb or step, but just were not
able to react fast enough or to
keep their balance.
With
proper diagnosis and therapeutic
exercises, called Balance
Retraining, many older adults are
able to return to a more active
lifestyle.
Did
you know?
- Vertigo,
dizziness or imbalance
will affect 90 million
Americans sometime
during their lifetime.
- Each
year over 9 million
people consult with
their doctors with
complaints of
dizziness, the number
one malady for those
over 70.
- Balance
related falls account
for more than one-half
of the accidental
deaths in the elderly.
- Balance
related falls cause
over 300,000 hip
fractures a year in
individuals over 65
years of age.
- Some
forms of inner ear
disorders, such as
Meniere's Disease,
benign positional
vertigo, perilymph
fistula, and
endolymphatic hydrops,
have symptoms and are
virtually
indistinguishable to
most people.
Because imbalance and
vertigo can affect a
person's ability to
stand and walk, to see
clearly, to read, to
watch television, to
make decisions, and to
think clearly, these
conditions are often
misdiagnosed as
multiple sclerosis and
clinical depression.
- Children
with treatable
vestibular disorders
are sometimes
incorrectly diagnosed
as learning disabled,
dyslexic or
psychologically
disturbed.
- Blows
to the head and
whiplash are frequent
causes of dizziness.
- Ear
infections, such as
otitis media, can also
lead to vestibular
disorders.
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Audigy
Group is proud to partner with The
American Institute of Balance® in
the certification of
professionals, development of
clinical protocols and continuing
education. The Institute is
nationally and internationally
known for its expertise in testing
and rehabilitation, helping
thousands of patients who were
told "learn to live with
it" to return to normal
lives. The Institute's
evaluation protocols and therapy
programs are used by physicians,
audiologists, therapists, clinics,
and hospitals worldwide.
Source:
The American Institute of
Balance®
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