Balance Disorder Symptoms: Adults + Kids

Here is a good list of signs/symptoms that can occur because of balance disorders. Please note that just because you have these symptoms doesn’t mean you have a balance disorder.

Adults:

• Ear fullness, pain, pressure
• Feelings of false movement or spinning
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Hearing loss, ringing (tinnitus), sound distortion, sound sensitivity, inability to determine sound direction
• Motion intolerance or sickness
• Difficulty in the dark
• Cotton in the head or ears feeling
• Blurred, bouncing and/or double vision, trouble watching motion, jerking vision, difficulty focusing, difficulty looking through binoculars, cameras, microscopes, and/or telescopes, difficulty with glare
• Clumsiness, difficulty walking, difficulty turning, feeling of walking through the floor…

Symptoms that kids with vestibular disorders often display. Obviously, these changes in a child’s behavior can be accounted for in many different ways, but if children are displaying a few of these symptoms, it may be good to bring him/her to the doctor just to check on it. Better safe than sorry!

• Clinging to a parent
• Crying
• Fear of being alone
• Quiet and withdrawn
• Seeks reassurance
• Staggering around
• Sudden falls

For a complete list, please follow this link: http://books.google.com/books?id=zP1uXeePZYUC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=how+to+parent+while+you+have+vertigo&source=bl&ots=dU7R7Hq3mg&sig=-J1xp-092lmuglBXTK5fRWVb-cA&hl=en&ei=CWRSSpL8C5SQNuvR9L8B&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7

Do YOU Know About Balance Disorders???

Take this balance disorder quiz to find out what you know, and what you don’t!

http://carefirst.staywellsolutionsonline.com/RelatedItems/40,BalanceQuiz

Even Famous People Get Dizzy…

Famous People Reported to have Vertigo:

Alain Robert, rock and urban climber

LeBron James, Basketball Player

George Clinton, Music Artist

Richard Lugar, U.S. Senator

Nicolas Cage, Actor

Jeff Hackett, Hockey Player

David Duval, Professional golfer

Nick Esasky, Baseball Player

Alan Shepard, Mercury and Apollo Astronaut

Abraham Zapruder, recorded John F. Kennedy assassination

Philip K. Dick, Author

Janet Jackson, Musical Artist

Famous People Reported to have Tinnitus:

Vincent Van Gogh, Artist

Oscar Wilde, Author

Sylvester Stallone, Actor

William Shatner, Actor

David Letterman, Comedian

Ronald Reagan, Former President of the United States

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 18th-Century Political Philosopher

Charles Darwin

Famous People Reported to Have Meniere’s Disease:

Emily Dickinson, Poetess

Martin Luther, Inspired Protestant Reformation

Alan Shepard, First American in Space and Fifth Person to Walk on the moon

http://en.allexperts.com/e/v/ve/vertigo_(medical).htm

http://members.fortunecity.com/nrbq1/tinnitus.html

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/menieres-famous.shtml

If You are Dizzy and You Fall

All dizzy patients do not fall, but it can happen. Here are some great tips on what to do if you do fall, how to prevent falls and some lines you can use to add some humor to the situation if you fall (and you aren’t seriously hurt).

If You Fall:

Before you attempt to get up, take an inventory of yourself to be sure you haven’t been seriously hurt. If you have been injured, ask someone to call 911 for you.

Stay in control. Well-meaning bystanders may rush to your side to help. And may rush to get you upright. Calmly tell those around you how you intend to get up and how they can assist you. Maintaining composure keeps you in charge.

Bring some humor to the situation! Humor relaxes you and those around you and makes it easier to recover your self-esteem. Be prepared with some funny comebacks just in case (see box below).

Say thank you to anyone who has helped. Graciousness goes a long way in maintaining your dignity.

 

How to Not Fall:

You are at risk of falling if you have balance problems, spasticity, or weakness in your legs. Work with a physical therapist to learn how to walk and move more safely. A PT can also teach you the safest ways to get up from a fall.

If, after working with a PT, you still struggle with falling, consider using a cane, walker, or a brace. Often people avoid this step because they want “to look normal” but falling doesn’t look normal and can hurt you!

Wear safe, low-heeled shoes.

Be conscious of where you are walking. For instance, stay away from a freshly washed floor.

Make your home safe. Keep the areas where you walk clear. Move electric cords and telephone wires out of the way. Tack down loose carpets or remove them. Apply no-slip strips to tile and wooden floors.

 

Bring Some Humor to Your Fall (unless you are seriously hurt):

We all have our ups and downs.

Something is telling me I need a rest.

When did they redo the ceiling?

You know, it’s so much cooler down here.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/you-can/save-grace-If-you-fall/index.aspx

Doctor Checklist

When vestibular disorders are suspected a trip to the doctors is inevitable. Here is a great checklist to bring with you for any of your doctor visits; your primary care doctor, ENT, or neurologist. If you sit down and write all of the information out before hand, including questions you may have, there is a greater chance that you won’t forget it while at the doctor’s office. Unfortunately, this won’t take the place of all the paperwork you will undoubtedly have to fill out – but it will be a good resource to copy from.

http://www.planforyourhealth.com/resources/talkchecklist.pdf

BPPV and Multiple Sclerosis

Approximately 20% of individuals with MS have reported symptoms of vertigo, which is nearly double the average of the population at large (1). Since vertigo is prevalent with MS, doctors may automatically treat it with medication. Studies have shown that over 50% of MS patients with vertigo actually have vertigo because of BPPV (2). The good thing about this is that BPPV is treatable through vestibular rehabiliation (physical therapy). So if you have MS and you are experiencing vertigo, make sure to inquire with your doctor about BPPV. If the doctor doesn’t test for BPPV, have them send you to a neurologist/ENT /physical therapist that does. It could potentially save you a lot of time, $$ and some sanity! 

 

(1) http://ms.about.com/od/signssymptoms/a/bppv.htm

(2) http://www.mstrust.org.uk/information/opendoor/articles/0802_10_11.jsp

Vestibular Disorder Stressing You Out?

Vertigo, dizziness, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus and other vestibular symptoms and disorders can be extremely stressful. The feeling that nobody really understands what you’re going through with these “invisible” symptoms can cause extreme anxiety in individuals.

Here are some helpful tips on how to calm your anxiety:

1. Exercise. Few things can help relax you more quickly than a bit of vigorous exercise. [If your symptoms are flaring up, maybe even go for a slow walk outdoors.]
2. Meditate. Try taking a few minutes out of your day to clear your mind of your worries and meditate.
3. Breathe deeply. Count your breaths and concentrate on breathing in and out deeply.
4. Focus on something else. Temporarily [shift] your attention to something else unrelated to what you’re upset about.
5. Talk to others. Connecting with a friend or family member and sharing your anxieties can be a great way to get insight, advice and to alleviate some of your stress by getting support and understanding.
6. Slow down. Give yourself a break and just slow down if you’re feeling stressed out. Getting yourself worked up to rush around won’t help, so slow down, take a break and let yourself relax.
7. Don’t work yourself up. Stop yourself if you feel that you’re getting yourself riled up, and force yourself to calm down and look at things rationally.
8. Let the past go. If you’re feeling bad about things that have already happened, take a moment to realize that there’s nothing you can do to change these things now. Take steps to begin letting the past go and making positive choices for the future.

The following web site has a list of 50 “quick and easy ways to calm your anxiety”, including dietary suggestions and tips for both the home and workplaces.

http://noedb.org/library/features/50_quick_and_easy_ways_to_calm_your_anxiety

BPPV Testimonial

“On May 29, 2009, I came to LifeStyle on the advice of my primary doctor due to my BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) and I did not know what to expect. My only concern is I will do anything to get rid of this dizziness and heaviness in my head because it affects not only myself but my work. I could not function well.
After two weeks, I was still not feeling better. I thought maybe I was being misdiagnosed but another two weeks came by, I slowly begin to see positive changes in my condition. Before, I would only do simple tasks [and] I would get dizzy, just like when I was sleeping, I would turn my head and I felt the surrounding was spinning. I would walk outside to get something to eat, I had to go back because I got this lightheadedness feeling.

It has been six weeks and I notice that my confidence in what I do is beginning to come back. The exercises and other stuff I have been doing contributed to it. I thank the whole staff for helping get to where I am.”

-L.L. 07/16/09

Habituation Exercises and Vestibular Disorders

Habituation exercises are when the patient is repeatedly exposed to techniques and exercises that stimulate the vestibular symptoms. Through repeated exposure to these exercises, the brain will re-train and be accustomed to the movements and the symptoms will lessen.

These habituation exercises will vary depending on the patient’s vestibular symptoms but will always include exercises that trigger the symptoms (ie. vertigo, nausea). Habituation is just one of the techniques used to combat dizziness and may take awhile to train the brain. But, from a positive perspective, here is one case study that shows a great result of habituation exercises.

“Patient: The patient was a 34-year-old marine biologist referred for treatment of motion sickness. During the past 5 years, she experienced 3 severe episodes of vertigo, which lasted several days and were increasingly more severe. Initially, the only symptom was a feeling of light-headedness. Symptoms during the third episode included nausea, vertigo, and limited ability to function, and these symptoms persisted…The medical examination done by the neurotologist included rotary chair testing with electronystagmography and posturography, both of which were negative for central and peripheral vestibular deficits or other deficits. She had no other medical problems (eg, hearing loss, migraines) that could lead to motion sickness, and she had no precipitating illnesses or conditions (eg, trauma, inner ear infections) that could contribute to her current problem. The patient took no medications and had normal vision without corrective lenses. She had no family history of vertigo, vestibular dysfunction, or motion sickness.

<other information: Initial interview, Physical examination, Intervention, Outcomes (week 2 follow-up, week 4 follow-up, week 7 follow-up)>

WEEK 10 FOLLOW-UP: The patient could complete all exercises without difficulty, had resumed all work activities, and experienced no dizziness at home or when driving. She experienced only mild motion sickness (mild light-headedness, but no nausea, dizziness, or sweating) after scuba diving for 3 hours, but could continue if necessary. Once out of the water (but still on the boat), all symptoms subsided within 15 to 20 minutes. The patient was instructed to continue with the exercises twice weekly to maintain her status and was discharged from therapy. Upon telephone follow-up 10 months later, she reported that she had stopped the exercises and was maintaining her ability to function at work and at home.”

http://www.ptjournal.org/cgi/content/full/79/10/949

Controlling Symptoms and 21st Century Technology

 TVs, computers and other technology have come a long way over the years and now there are some ideas on what technology to use to minimize the symptoms of vestibular disorders.

1) Replace an old-style cathode-ray tube (CRT) computer monitor–the large, heavy kind–with a flat-panel LCD (liquid-crystal display) screen. CRT monitors, because of the way the images are painted onto the screen, are more prone to flickering, particularly toward the edges of the screen. This increases eyestrain and difficulty in focusing.

2) Choose LCD displays over plasma. Plasma monitors may have a wider viewing angle and more vibrant colors, but their images tend not to be as sharp as those displayed by an LCD monitor or TV. Lack of sharpness increases focusing problems.

3) Don’t look for TVs and monitors with a high level of brightness. The amount of light produced by a screen is measured in candelas per square meter, abbreviated as NITS. Anyone suffering from inner-ear maladies should look for a brightness level equal to or less than 300 NITS.

4) Keep the resolution of the display at the setting recommended by the manufacturer. Changing it will degrade the images, increasing the likelihood of problems in individuals with vestibular problems.

5) Purchase an LCD HDTV or widescreen flat-panel LCD computer monitor–as wide as you can afford. These are more likely to be free of flicker, and offer the most flexibility in viewing.

Tips:

When electronics shopping, take along protective devices like baseball caps to cut down on overhead lights, and ear plugs to blunt the noise level.

Use a shopping cart if available. The extra support may prevent attacks of vertigo.

Keep your monitor or television turned to the lowest tolerable brightness.

Use full-spectrum incandescent lights rather than fluorescents.

**Please note that this article states “The chance of contracting vestibular disorders may be worse in modern society, with so many people using computers or watching television.” You won’t “contract” a vestibular disorder from technology, the disorder is an inner ear disease…one has nothing to do with the other.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4514207_minimize-vestibular-disorders-using-tvs.html