Conditions we diagnose and treat at the UPMC Center for Balance Disorders include:
- Adult and childhood benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Autoimmune inner ear disease
- Bilateral vestibular loss
- Chiari malformation
- Disequilibrium of aging
- Dizziness relating to:
- Migraine headaches
- Multiple sclerosis
- Psychiatric disorders
- Drop attacks
- Fainting (syncope)
- Labyrinthine concussion
- Mal de debarquement syndrome
- Meniere’s disease (endolymphatic hydrops)
- Multisensory disequilibrium
- Neck dizziness (cervicogenic)
- Orthostatic tremor
- Ototoxicity
- Perilymphatic fistula
- Stroke
- Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome
- Vertigo
- Vestibular neuritis
Diagnosing Balance Disorders
Balance disorders are common problems with potentially troubling effects. Because many different conditions can cause a balance disorder, doctors must first determine its origin in order to prescribe the best treatment.
Balance Disorder Signs and Symptoms
Some common symptoms of balance disorders include:
- Easily tired
- Consistent dizziness
- Anxious about doing some simple things such as walking in a mall or grocery store
- Increased dizziness with head or body movements
- Fear of falling
- Increased chance of motion-sickness, especially in the back seat of a car
- Unsteadiness when walking – often using the wall as an aid
- Vertigo or a consistent feeling of spinning
- Blurry or jumpy vision
- Slow walking pace
- Difficulty with analytical thinking and memory retention