Balance and mobility are essential in our daily lives and critical for our safety. Feeling unsteady on your feet can pose a serious health risk, and there are many potential reasons why you might feel off-balance. If dizziness or unsteadiness has been a frequent issue for you recently, you might be wondering if you need to see a professional about your balance.
What Do Balance Screenings Test For?
Balance screenings look for balance disorders, as well as any issues with your eyes, inner ears, muscles and brain, all of which play an instrumental role in keeping you steady. Some balance disorders or other conditions that may be diagnosed from a balance screening include:
- Ménière’s disease
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Labyrinthitis
- Acoustic neuroma
- Muscle weakness
- Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s Disease
- Postural issues
- Hearing loss
Who Is Most at Risk of a Balance Disorder?
Generally speaking, adults over the age of 65 are the most at-risk of developing a balance disorder. Because your sense of balance relies on so many parts of your body, and because all parts of our bodies age naturally, it’s common and normal for the mechanisms of our sense of balance to degrade over time.
It is also imperative for adults over the age of 65 to be proactive about their sense of balance, as poor balance significantly increases fall risk, which is a serious health concern. Falls are the leading cause of hip fractures, traumatic brain injuries and injury-related death among older adults.1
You should also be closely monitoring your sense of balance if you have experienced head trauma, a traumatic brain injury, vitamin D deficiency, vision problems, neurological disorders—such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s—blood pressure issues or take medications that might affect your balance. Consider a balance screening if you fall into any of these categories.
Signs of a Balance Disorder
There are a variety of balance disorders, and they don’t all have the same symptoms, but some signs of issues with your balance include:
- Feeling woozy or lightheaded
- Dizziness when you stand up
- Blurred vision, especially when moving
- Feeling unsteady on your feet, like you aren’t sure where your next step will land
- The sensation that your body or the room is spinning out of control, even when you’re not moving
- Feeling like you might fall
Making an Appointment
If you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms above or fall into an at-risk category, it’s a good idea to make an appointment for a balance screening. Call Audiology Associates of Redding today to set up an appointment.
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1 CDC. (2024). Older adult falls data. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html