Sudden Dizziness or Balance Problems? When It Could Be Neurological

Your body has a complicated way of processing different types of sensory patterns- from the eyes, ears, inner ear or the vestibular area, the joints and muscles- all of this information is relayed to the brain in real time, so that you know how to stand up straight, sit upright, when to lie down and how to move in space, without walking or colliding into objects nearby. Balance related problems can have different symptoms, based on the underlying condition.
If you have been feeling wobbly or off-balance lately, please get in touch with a balance problems specialist at the best neurology hospital for dizziness in Hyderabad without any further delay.
Causes For Balance Problems-
These are some conditions that require a neurological evaluation for dizziness-
- Since the inner ear is crucial for helping you maintain balance, any condition that affects this region can be problematic- examples include an acoustic neuroma which is a benign mass that presses down on the nerve, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis etc.
- If you have had a traumatic head injury.
- If you have heart disease.
- When you have migraines.
- If you suffer from conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease etc.
- If you have orthostatic hypertension- a condition where your blood pressure may drop suddenly, due to postural changes.
- If you have severe peripheral neuropathy.
Symptoms Of Balance Disorders-
These are some symptoms which can affect your quality of life in some instances-
- If you have blurred vision when trying to move.
- If you feel dizzy often.
- If you feel like you may pass out.
- If you feel unsteady or wobbly when you try to stand up or walk.
- If you have vertigo- a feeling of being dizzy even when you are not moving around, you may need to get a vertigo neurologist consultation to understand why it is happening and to seek treatment.
If you have any of these symptoms, please get in touch with us at KIMS Sunshine Hospital, as we are the best neurology hospital in Hyderabad.
Diagnosis Of Balance Disorders-
These are some of the commonly used tests to help diagnose these conditions-
- DVA or Dynamic Visual Acuity test – In this test, you will be asked to read when you are still and when you are moving around. This is to check how motion affects your vision.
- mCTSIB– Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance – You will be asked to stand on two different surfaces, and will be asked to keep your eyes open and closed, to check balance.
- Rotary Chair Test– You will sit in a chair that rotates and then doctors will measure how your ears and eyes work in response to the motion, using goggles.
- VEMP– vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials – You will be asked to listen to a series of sounds to check how your muscles and neck respond to it.
- Video nystagmography- You will be asked to track a moving object with your eyes and goggles are used to track them.
- Imaging – like MRI to check for structural issues.
Treatment Of Balance Disorders-
Treatment is done after a detailed neurological evaluation for dizziness is carried out. The approach used depends on where the problem is originating- from the brain, ear or elsewhere.
- Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) – Here, the brain is slowly trained to help you balance better, even when there is some disturbance.
- Positional procedures– Here, a set of movements are prescribed, which when performed help calcium or other crystals dislodge from the vestibular area to another part of the ear. This is suggested for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
- Medications– These can be used to treat inflammation. Antibiotics, steroids are used for infections. Anti-nausea drugs can also help you feel better.
- Making lifestyle changes like hydrating better for postural hypotension and eating a low sodium diet can help with reducing fluid accumulation in the inner ear.
- If your balance issues stem from a neurological condition like Alzheimer’ s or Parkinson’s disease, then medication like cholinesterase inhibitors, physical and cognitive therapy are done to help manage symptoms.
Conclusion
If you have problems with balance and coordination or suffer from chronic conditions, please get in touch with a balance problems specialist, so you can understand the reason for your symptoms and learn how to manage them better. Call us today!