Hendrick Balance Center
Located in the Hendrick Center for Rehabilitation, 1934 Hickory Street.
325.670.6000
What is a Balance Disorder?
Balance is the ability to maintain an upright position regardless of activity. Falls are the number one reason for emergency room visits for older adults. If walking or keeping your balance becomes difficult, then you might have a balance disorder. Some common symptoms of a balance disorder are:
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Dysequilbrium
- Jumpy Vision
- Lightheaded
- Motion Sickness
- Sudden Hearing Loss
Any of the symptoms listed above should be reported to your physician.
What Causes a Balance Disorder?
Many balance disorders occur from damage to the vestibular system which is located in the inner ear. Some common causes of balance disorders are:
- Inner Ear Infection
- Allergies
- Toxic Exposure to Medicines
- Aging
Not all balance problems are caused by damage to the inner ear. Sometimes, the brain does not receive and process balance information properly. Complete evaluation is necessary to learn more about the origin of your balance problem.
Diagnosis
First, consult your physician to discuss your symptoms and your current medical status. Following medical examination, your doctor may order special diagnostic tests conducted by an audiologist. These may include:
These tests are painless and can help determine the origin of your balance disorder. Once your problem has been diagnosed, your physician will have the information necessary to determine if you are a candidate for balance rehabilitation.
Treatment
Balance therapy can successfully treat most types of balance disorders. Balance therapy consists of special exercises that are provided by a licensed physical therapist (PT).
- Balance Exercises
- Gait Retraining
- Safety Training
- Vestibular Adaptation Exercises
- Strengthening
Our goal is to eliminate or reduce your symptoms and help you function normally in your daily activities.
Balance therapy is given in 30 minute sessions, one to three times a week. Therapy may continue for 2-8 weeks depending upon your specific condition. Often, treatment can be home exercise program focused.
Medicare and most insurance providers cover services provided by the Hendrick Balance Center.
Did You Know ...
- More than 90 million Americans have experienced a balance disorder.
- Falls account for more than half of accidental deaths among the elderly.
- Diagnosis and treatment of dysequilibrium are now available
If you are suffering from:
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Dysequilibrium
- Jumpy Vision
- Lightheaded
- Motion Sickness
- Visual Disturbances
- Falls
We can help
Test and Evaluations
What Type of Audiology Testing is Conducted at Hendrick Balance Center?
A typical test battery would include a hearing test and electronystagmography (ENG). It should be noted that your test battery may vary from that listed below, if deemed appropriate by your physician.
Hearing Test
Because both hearing and balance end organs are located in your inner ear, it is important to evaluate your hearing. If you have a hearing loss your hearing may be monitored at intervals. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for procedure.
ENG
The ENG is a more comprehensive vestibular assessment, evaluating an individual's central and peripheral functions. Electrodes are placed around the eye and forehead areas for recording purposes. The ENG test consists of three general components listed below. Allow two hours for the procedure.
- Visual tasks: The patient is instructed to watch a target (a red light) as it moves in various manners throughout the patient's visual field.
- Positional tasks: The patient is instructed to lie on a table in several head and body positions to determine if certain head or body movements may provoke dizziness.
- Caloric testing: Warm and cool water (or air, if deemed medically appropriate) are introduced into each ear canal. Eye movement (nystagmus) generated by the changes in inner ear temperature is then measured. This test typically causes the patient to be dizzy for a few minutes after each irrigation.
VAT
The VAT is a brief test designed to evaluate the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), the reflex which maintains eye fixation on an object when quick head movements are made. Electrodes are placed around the eye and forehead areas, and the patient wears a light headpiece for data collection purposes. The patient is instructed to shake the head back and forth and then up and down while focusing the eyes on a target. By rotating the head vertically and horizontally, we can measure how the system's VOR reflex responds to head rotation by generating eye movements. Allow 30 minutes for procedure.
What Happens After My Dizziness Has Been Evaluated?
Following assessment, results will be forwarded to your physician who will determine appropriate follow-up. If deemed appropriate by the referring physician or ear specialist, you may enter the rehabilitation phase of the program. A physical therapist will conduct a functional assessment and proceed with balance therapy. A VAT may also be conducted once you are determined an appropriate candidate for therapy.
Physical Therapy
What type of Physical Therapy evaluation is conducted at Hendrick Balance Center?
A physical therapist will conduct a comprehensive functional assessment, including but not limited to: balance, ability to walk, Vestibular Ocular Reflex (VOR), strength, range of motion, level of dizziness and safety.
What happens after my Physical Therapy evaluation?
The physical therapist will recommend audiology testing, if needed, and will initiate treatment specific to the individual patient's situation. Progress will be monitored by re-evaluation of objective data obtained during the evaluation. The treatment offered by Hendrick Balance Center is usually of a shorter duration with a better outcome than more generalized methods.
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