Recurrent bouts of dizziness, imbalance, and lightheadedness could point to a balance disorder. These symptoms can be quite bothersome, affecting your day-to-day life and overall well-being.
The only way to determine if you have a balance disorder, get the proper treatment, and find relief is to have a balance test. Keep reading to learn more about what happens during balance testing.
What is Balance Testing?
Balance testing, also called vestibular testing, is a series of diagnostic tests that assess a person’s hearing, vestibular function, and vision to check for balance disorders. These tests help pinpoint the underlying causes of imbalance, dizziness, vertigo, and other symptoms, enabling your ENT specialist to develop a custom-tailored treatment plan.
Who Needs a Balance Test?
The symptoms of balance disorders can be mild or severe enough to affect your ability to walk, drive, and perform other routine activities. You may require a balance test if you’re experiencing symptoms of a balance disorder, including:
- Dizziness
- Vertigo or a sense of spinning or motion even when you’re still
- Double or blurred vision
- Feeling light-headed or a floating sensation
- Staggering or losing your balance when walking
- Nausea or vomiting
- Feeling like you could fall or falling
- Changes in blood pressure or heart rate
- A feeling of fear, panic, or anxiety
- Confusion
All these could be symptoms of other conditions, so it’s important to see an ENT specialist for a correct diagnosis.
What Should You Expect During Balance Testing?
Balance tests are painless and can be done by an audiologist or an ENT specialist. You may need various tests to diagnose your balance disorder.
Standard balance evaluation tests include:
Electronystagmography (ENG) or Videonystagmography (VNG)
An ENG or VNG test measures and records your eye movements to assess your balance. During these tests, you’ll sit on an exam chair in a dark room.
For an ENG, your ENT specialist or audiologist will place electrodes or small sensors near your eyes to record your eye movements. For a VNG, you’ll wear video camera goggles that will record your eye movements.
You’ll follow light patterns on a screen, and your audiologist will ask you to move your body and head into different positions as you follow the light patterns. Next, they’ll put cold or warm water into one ear at a time and monitor your eye movements.
These tests look for a type of eye movement known as nystagmus. Nystagmus refers to uncontrollable and repetitive eye movements.
Your eyes may move in a circle, side to side, or up and down when you have this eye condition. These movements usually lead to decreased vision and may affect balance and coordination.
An ENG or VNG test can also be used to diagnose vestibular disorders such as:
- Labyrinthitis
- Vestibular neuritis
- Meniere’s disease
- Acoustic neuroma
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
Rotary Chair Test
A rotary chair test evaluates how well your inner ear and eyes work together to enable you to maintain your balance. For this test, you’ll sit on a motorized chair placed in a dark room.
You’ll put on infrared video goggles that record eye movements as the chair moves in various directions and at different speeds. The resulting eye movements will then be assessed.
The test determines if your central nervous or vestibular system (inner ear) is the cause of your balance issues.
Hearing Test
Your balance is linked to your ears. Your inner ears help you hear and maintain your balance, making a hearing test essential in diagnosing your balance issues.
A hearing test rules out contributing inner ear issues affecting your hearing and balance. Your audiologist or ENT specialist may recommend an audiometry test to check how well you can hear at different sound frequencies.
If there’s an issue with your hearing, this test can uncover it. Your audiologist may also perform a tympanometry test as part of a standard hearing test.
In this test, a tiny probe directs a small amount of air into your eardrum. The test can establish whether fluid behind your eardrum could contribute to your balance issues.
Posturography Test
A posturography test measures your ability to remain balanced in different situations. During this test, you’ll stand on a platform without shoes, facing a screen.
You’ll wear a safety harness to keep you from falling while you look at moving lines or images on the screen. Your ENT specialist will measure your balance when the platform is still, while it’s moving, and while your eyes are closed and open.
Depending on your results, your ENT specialist will be able to identify where your balance issue stems from.
Dix-Hallpike Maneuver
The Dix-Hallpike Maneuver comprises a range of movements you perform while your audiologist or ENT specialist checks your response. In this test, you’ll sit upright on an exam table with your head turned to one side and legs stretched out.
Your ENT specialist will ask you to lower your torso and head back so that you lie with your head off the edge of the table and one ear pointing downward. You’ll stay in this position for one to two minutes with your eyes open.
Your ENT specialist will support your head as you do this. They’ll then observe your eyes for nystagmus and ask whether you feel like you’re spinning or moving.
You’ll repeat the same process on the opposite side to test your other ear.
If you have nystagmus, it could mean that BPPV is responsible for your balance issues.
BPPV is an inner ear disorder where you experience an abrupt spinning sensation when you change your head position.
When Will You Get Your Balance Test Results?
If an audiologist performed your balance test, they may send the results to an ENT specialist. You’ll be scheduled for another appointment to discuss your test results and the best treatment options.
Your treatment will depend on your dizziness diagnosis, symptoms, medical history, and overall health.
Restore Your Balance
At Southern Indiana ENT, we offer comprehensive balance testing to accurately diagnose the underlying cause of your symptoms. Our team of expert audiologists and ENT specialists will provide a personalized and effective treatment plan to help you regain your balance.
Are you experiencing symptoms of a balance disorder? Schedule your appointment at Southern Indiana ENT in Colombus, IN, today to take your first step toward relieving your symptoms.