Balance Disorders

Diagnosing a Balance Disorder

Your provider will ask questions about any dizziness or imbalance you are experiencing before recommending a series of tests. You will need to refrain from taking certain medications and substances for 48 hours before testing.

Tests used to diagnose balance disorders include:

Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance (MCTSIB), during which you will be asked to stand in various conditions (with eyes open or closed on firm and soft surfaces.) This helps your doctor to see how the eyes, ears, and muscles work together to keep you upright.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP), during which will listen to a repeated sound and asked to shift your head in different directions while wearing sensors on your skin. This test helps your doctor learn if each ear responds to balance information equally. It is also useful for identifying any physical or structural issues in the balance parts of the inner ear.

Video Head Impulse Tests (vHIT) allow your doctor to see how the balance system responds to quick head movements. You will wear a set of goggles to track eye movements while your provider moves your head.

Videonystagmography assesses control of your eye movements. During this test, you will wear goggles that track your eyes as you follow a target on a screen.

Treating a Balance Disorder

Balance disorders can be complex. However, once the cause or causes are understood, management and therapy can improve symptoms. Treatments may include:

• Specific maneuvers of the head performed by the provider
• Vestibular physical therapy
• Surgical procedures
• Medication