Balance disorders are very difficult to diagnose and treat because there is often more than one underlying cause. Knowledge of all the sensory systems that contribute to balance as well as how each system works together and interacts with the brain is essential.
How are balance disorders caused?
- Benign Positional Vertigo (BPPV) – BPPV is the number one cause of all dizziness. It involves intense, brief episodes of vertigo associated with a change in the position of your head, often when you turn over in bed or sit up in the morning.
- Vestibular Neuronitis – inflammation of the inner ear
- Ménière’s Disease – a buildup of fluid in the inner ear
- Vestibular Migraine – dizziness and vertigo that may or may not be accompanied by headaches
- Head Trauma
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Stroke and heart attack
- Slow-growing tumors
- Joint and muscle weakness
- High or low blood pressure
- Viral infections
How are balance disorders diagnosed?
- Case History: one of the most important components in diagnosing balance disorders. Details about the imbalance can often determine which part of the inner ear or brain is involved.
- Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation: the hearing system and the vestibular system are very close in physical proximity. They function together. Any part of the ear can cause and/or contribute to a loss of balance.
- Auditory Brainstem Response: tests both the ear and the brain by measuring the timing of electrical waves from the brainstem.
- Voluntary Eye Movement Testing: measures the ability to coordinate eye movements with head movements crucial for walking, driving, etc.
- Videonystagmography (VNG): computerized testing that measures, records and analyzes eye movements under various conditions.
- Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP): measures and tracks all of the components (eyes, inner ear, muscles and joints) involved in maintaining balance.
How are balance disorders treated?
Treatment of balance disorders consists of Vestibular Rehabilitation and Balance Retraining. An individual treatment plan is designed for each patient based upon the patient’s history, the findings from the diagnostic testing performed and the functional limitations caused by the imbalance.
The goals of all treatment plans are:
- Decreasing or eliminating dizziness/vertigo
- Improving balance function and safety
- Improving visual motor control and tolerance of motion
- Increasing activity levels
- Reducing falls or risks of falls
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Audiologist serves the poor, celebrities for hearing health
Dr. Ronna Fisher, founder and audiologist with the Hearing Health Center, has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Lady Gaga, Kenny Rogers and Roger Daltrey.
She fits the musicians and singers with ear monitors, so they can regulate what they hear on stage during their performances. She does that by making impressions inside the ear with a pliable material so the custom fit allows the monitor to fit well.
Fisher often goes to Chicago area music venues when doing ear monitors. But in the case of Hall of Fame rocker Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, she went to his suite at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Chicago.
“I was joking and asked him ‘Are you deaf,’ and his whole entourage nodded their heads,” laughed Fisher, 62. “I then asked him when was his last hearing test.”
For 33 years, Fisher has been working with adults and children around the suburbs by providing hearing tests and hearing aids. She now has five offices in Naperville, Oak Brook, Highland Park and two in Chicago. She said many people lose their hearing for various reasons, including long-term exposure to loud noise, age and certain medications.
As for Daltrey, he went to Fisher for a hearing test and was fitted with an aid about 3 years ago. Since then, Daltrey returns to her for a check up whenever he’s in town, she said.
Fisher, who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grew up while her father exhibited hearing problems. That’s what led her to become an audiologist. Besides local residents and the occasional celebrity, Fisher helps those who cannot afford to get a tests or aids through her Fisher Foundation for Hearing Health. “I’ve been in this business for 33 years and I still want to help people,” she said.
We love our patients! Thank you for the kind words!
Website: www.hearinghealthcenter.com
Has your hearing aid ever suddenly stopped working? Most often, you might try changing the battery and then wind up coming in to the audiology office for an appointment. During that appointment, have you been told that your hearing aid was just plugged with wax? Well, I know that I have told many patients this in the past. The great news is that you have the ability to unclog your hearing aid at home by changing the wax guard.
What is a wax guard and why is it important?
Depending on the type and style of hearing aid you have, there is a wax guard located at the sound outlet or at the receiver. The wax guard acts as a protective cover to stop ear wax from going deep into the hearing aid. Typically it is a white circle that is located on the portion of the hearing aid that you insert into your ear.
When should I change my wax guard?
The amount of earwax produced by each individual can vary. It is recommended that we check the wax guard daily. If your hearing aid starts to sound weak/silent or wax is visible, it’s time to change the wax guard.
How do I change my wax guard?
First, wipe off any visible wax from the hearing aid, and make sure you have the necessary wax removal sticks to change it at home.
Next, insert the open ended portion of the removal stick into the sound outlet (usually encompassed into a stainless steel bushing), twist, and pull it straight out.
Now, turn the removal stick to the other side (that has the new white end on it) and insert the new white end into the sound outlet and remove. Make sure the wax guard is sitting flat against the stainless steel bushing of the sound outlet.
All that’s left to do is throw out your old wax guard and removal stick, which can’t be reused. And you’re done! Are you hearing better now?
Hearing Health Center presents Experience the “TeleCare” Breakthrough featuring Walter Jacobsen
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Hearing Health Center presents People Are Listening featuring Walter Jacobsen