Hendrick Balance Center

Hendrick Balance Center offers a multi-disciplinary approach for patients to include diagnostic testing and specialized rehabilitation programs.

Patients referred to Hendrick Balance Center typically have at least one or more of the following complaints:

• dizziness
• vertigo
• unsteadiness
• falls
• weakness
• jumpy vision
• sudden hearing loss

These complaints may be categorized as symptoms of a blance disorder. A balance disorder may indicate a problem with the balance system, vestibular system or both.

About the Balance System
This is a term that is loosely used to refer to the body's entire ability to maintain balance. It is appropriate to realized the body actually has several systems that help maintain balance.

The three main systems of balance:

• Vision-"eyes"
• Vestibular-"ears"
• Somatosensory (proprioception)-"feet"

About the Vestibular System
This refers to the balance portion of the body located in the inner ear. It consists of a network of tubes (semicircular canals) that are filled with fluid. There are tiny hairs within these structures that are bent by the flow of fluid. The hairs are actually bundles of sensory cells. Stimulating these cells causes messages to be sent to the brain via the vestibular nerve. This tells the brain about changes in head position. This system allows you to maintain your balance and vision when moving.