Posture is reflection of how you balance your body. You continually use your muscles which counter and correct the body relative to gravity. To help you keep an upright posture, you use your eyes to gauge what is level, along with sensory information from your inner ears, muscle...
The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and the brain that help control balance and eye movements. If the system is damaged by disease, aging, or injury, vestibular disorders can result. Symptoms may include vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance, among others.
The...
Have you ever wondered how we stay upright? Or have you noticed that while you nod your head your eyes shift and roll? Why do some people experience vertigo, giddiness or unsteadiness? Over the next short-while I will chat to you on Brainstorm Bites our podcast on brain health, t...
At Brainstorm, there are many various balance tests that are incorporated in an examination. Some tests are simple bed side neurological exams - like reflex and muscle power tests, while some require specialised instrumentation like; Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP).&nbs...
Balance Evaluation Systems are very important with vestibular rehabilitation. Balance is the ability to maintain the body’s center of mass over its supporting base (Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007). Regulation of many innate sensory systems, like visual from the eye...
Often a progression of other balance conditions, like vestibular migraine. In fact the development of secondary conditions related cause prolongation of symptoms once the initial inner ear disorder has resolved. The progression maybe related to brain damage from the primary inju...
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) can help with a variety of vestibular problems, including; Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) Unilateral or bilateral vestibular hypo function Symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease Vestibular neuriti...
Incidents of serious fall injuries among older adults are on the rise. 1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 sustains a fall each year. Considering that the percentage of older individuals overall continues to increase, these trends are expected to produce even higher num...
Dizziness and disequilibrium are common complaints reported by many people at Brainstorm's Balance Clinic. Importantly dizziness is not a disease but rather a symptom resulting from disturbance of the vestibular system. This may impair the person’s ability to change positions ...
Many falls are preventable! Understanding the four common risks of falls is important for everyone. Knowledge of falls prevention and how they may affect a person’s level of engagement in daily activities, socialisation, and lifestyle is paramount for individuals with balance ...
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that affects movements, emotions, and other body functions. It is a degenerative condition that begins with minor tremors and shaking, and progresses into more serious symptoms over time. The brain requires a substance called dopa...
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a complex progressive neural degenerative disorder with wide-reaching implications affecting both the patient and their community (Contreras-Vidal & Stelmach, 1996). Movement dysfunctions are a hallmark of PD and can severely compromise the abil...
The most common cause of dizziness is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Vertigo means spinning of head. Often an episode may last for a few moments and can be recurrent. The severity of this condition can vary. The vertigo can sometimes be self limiting and other time...
The body maintains balance with sensory information from three systems: Balance system (inner ear) Vision
Proprioception (touch sensors in the feet, trunk, and spine) Head motion is detected by the inner ear labyrinth and vision. The semicircular canals s...
Some risk factors are obviously unavoidable – including age and gender. To limit your falls risk follow the four tips: Unsafe Environments - home health Poor eyes and bad vision PolyPharmacy - too many drugs Poor balance Case Presentatio...
The body maintains balance by using sensory information from three systems. In other words, the brain “sees” the world through sensory input. This information may include: proprioception (relay information from feet, trunk and spine) vestibular system ...
BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) is a condition that develops from changes in the ear. These changes can lead to very severe vertigo and sensation of spining. The vestibular system in the body helps you balance and know where your head is positioned. Vertigo creates a...
Dizzy sensations that are difficult to describe may include feeling “spaced out” or having the sensation of spinning inside your head. Your doctor may refer to this as nonspecific dizziness. Dizziness: a sensation of light-headedness, faintness, or unsteadiness. Dizzi...
Tinnitus is abnormal noise perceived in one or both ears or in the head. Tinnitus (pronounced either “TIN-uh-tus” or “tin- NY-tus”) can be either a constant or continuous sound or intermittent. The types of sounds may include such things as a ringing, hissing, whistling,...
Millions of individuals have disorders of balance they describe as “dizziness.” Experts believe that more than four out of ten Americans will experience an episode of dizziness significant enough to send them to a doctor. What can be difficult for both a patient and h...
Many people who suffer from dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo have trouble finding out why. Dizziness and vertigo are not actually “diagnoses,” they are symptoms of a diagnosis. However, many physicians will use these terms as if they were a diagnosis. Vertigo is the most spe...
Vestibular disorders are a common feature in our community. Here are a list of some important facts about this condition; The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process sensory information involved with balance. Over 35% of US ad...
Dizziness is a symptom that is real to you but is not observable by your doctor. In order to diagnose a vestibular system disorder, your doctor must rely on signs they can observe. This may include abnormal eye or body movements. In the early stages of many vestibular disorders ...
While most doctors are trained to suspect inner ear disorders if a patient complains of violent nausea and whirling sensations, such strong symptoms do not always occur in the early stages of inner ear disorders. If you report that you feel off- balance, unsteady, light-headed, ...
