Understanding the Symptoms & Treatment of Vestibular Conditions like Vertigo
Dizziness or imbalance is a common complaint that can affect people of all ages. It is the reason for many emergency room (ER) visits and further visits to primary care providers. Symptoms of dizziness can be described as a room-spinning sensation, lightheaded feeling, disorientation, tilting/rocking sensation, or general imbalance while walking. These symptoms can be caused by issues within the vestibular system.
The vestibular system is made up of tiny canals in the inner ear and is responsible for receiving information about motion, balance and spatial orientation. We asked Vestibular Audiologist Dr. Shayna Cole to explain what she and her fellow practitioners at the Balance Center do to diagnose and treat vestibular issues.
Assessing Your Vestibular Health
“At the Balance Center we have a team of specially trained providers who perform testing to determine if the vestibular system may be causing your symptoms,” says Dr. Cole. “The series of tests verify the functioning of the entire vestibular system.”
Balance assessments may include:
- Oculomotor testing in which the patient watches a light that is either stationary or in motion
- Positional testing in which the patient moves through various head and body positions
- Caloric testing in which water is placed in the ears for 30 seconds at a time
- Fall risk assessment testing in which the patient stands on a platform while they keep balance under differing conditions
- Rotational chair testing in which the patient sits in a chair while it makes slow turns back and forth
“This series of assessments can take anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the patient’s ability to complete the tasks,” Dr. Cole explains. “Patients may experience dizziness during testing. However, this sensation usually does not last long and breaks from testing are given for patients who require them.”
Vertigo Treatment after Testing
Along with balance testing, the Balance Center also provides treatment for one of the most common causes of inner ear related dizziness known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV can occur due to head injury, diabetes, migraines, osteoporosis, or simply with aging. “If patients are diagnosed with BPPV through our testing, they can sign up for treatment sessions,” says Dr. Cole. “These 30-minute treatment sessions often significantly reduce or completely eliminate symptoms after just one to two visits.”
What to Do about Dizziness Concerns
If experiencing new, severe dizziness or vertigo, especially if accompanied by other alarming symptoms, patients should go to the emergency room as dizziness can sometimes be associated with life-threatening conditions like stroke. For recurrent, less severe, or prolonged and unexplained dizziness or vertigo, patients can have their primary care physician provide a referral for testing at the Balance Center.
“Many times, patients are sent here by their doctor, but you can also make an appointment directly with an ENT provider at our practice to request testing at the Balance Center,” Dr. Cole advises. “Dizziness or vertigo is not something you have to live with. Treatment can help. If you are suffering, I urge you to give us a call.”
Dizziness ranks among the most encountered complaints in medicine affecting 15–35% of people at some point in their lives.
About Shayna Cole, Au.D., CCC-A
Dr. Shayna Cole received her Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from Ball State University. She received her Doctor of Audiology degree from East Tennessee State University and spent her externship year training at the Cleveland Clinic. She is licensed to practice audiology in the State of Indiana and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She has been a Clinical vestibular audiologist at The Balance Center since 2021. To schedule an appointment with ENT Associates, call (260) 426-8117.
“The balance specialist there was able to fix the issue with a series of physical therapy maneuvers. Now life is back to normal. I’m so glad I went!” – Tom K.