Causes of balance problems include medications, ear infection, a head injury, or anything else that affects the inner ear or brain. Low blood pressure can lead to dizziness when you stand up too quickly.
What illnesses can affect your balance?
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems.
What causes unsteady balance?
Problems with balance can involve dizziness or vertigo, causing a spinning or falling sensation. Common causes of this disorienting feeling include inner ear problems, circulation changes, head or neck injuries or other conditions.
How do you cure balance problems?
Treatment
- Balance retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation). Therapists trained in balance problems design a customized program of balance retraining and exercises.
- Positioning procedures.
- Diet and lifestyle changes.
- Medications.
- Surgery.
What deficiency causes balance problems?
Untreated, vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems, such as persistent tingling in the hands and feet or problems with balance. It can lead to mental confusion and forgetfulness because vitamin B-12 is necessary for healthy brain function.
What does lack of balance indicate?
Loss of balance or unsteadiness
Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
What part of the body controls balance?
The vestibular system is one of the sensory systems that provides your brain with information about balance, motion, and the location of your head and body in relation to your surroundings. There are three loops in your inner ear, called semicircular canals. The first canal senses up-and-down movement.
At what age do you start losing your balance?
between 40 to 50 years of age
Most adults don’t think about their balance until they fall. The fact is, balance declines begin somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age. The National Institute of Health reports that one in three people over 65 will experience a fall each year.
What vitamin is good for balance?
Vitamin D may improve muscle strength and function, as well as balance due to the improved strength.
How do you test for balance problems?
Common balance tests include:
- Electronystagmography (ENG) & Videonystagmography (VNG) These tests measure your eye movements.
- Rotary Chair Test. For this test, you will sit in a motorized chair and wear goggles that record eye movements as the chair moves slowly in a circle.
- Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP)
Is there a medication for balance problems?
Your healthcare professional may prescribe motion-sickness medications such as meclizine (Antivert) to relieve the acute feelings of vertigo and dizziness, and possibly methylprednisolone to reduce inner ear inflammation. An antibiotic is sometimes prescribed.
What causes weak legs and loss of balance?
Peripheral nerves
The nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord can become damaged, which is called peripheral neuropathy. Weakness, numbness, pain and balance issues can be caused by peripheral neuropathy because it makes it difficult to determine where your body is relative to other objects or the ground.
What medications cause loss of balance?
Medications Can Cause Balance Problems
- Antidepressants.
- Anti-seizure drugs (anticonvulsants)
- Hypertensive (high blood pressure) drugs.
- Sedatives.
- Tranquilizers.
- Anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs)
- Antihistamines prescribed to relieve allergy symptoms.
- Aminoglycosides (a type of antibiotic)
How do I restore my balance?
This is especially important if you have an underlying health condition or have recently been discharged from the hospital.
- Standing on One Leg. Stand and raise one leg with your knee bent at a 45-degree angle.
- Walking Heel-to-Toe.
- Side Stepping.
- Unassisted Standing.
- Tai Chi.
- Pump Your Ankles When You Get Out of Bed.
Does B12 help balance?
Impaired coordination. Ataxia, or impaired balance and coordination, is a neurological symptom that can be caused by B12 deficiency. As such, a person with B12 deficiency may have difficulty walking and balancing ( 2 ).
Why do I feel off balance but not dizzy?
The most common causes of imbalance without dizziness are related to dysfunction of the muscles, joints and peripheral nerves (proprioceptive system), or the central nervous system (brain). People with bilateral vestibulopathy have balance issues but no dizziness if the damage affects both ears at the same time.
When should I be concerned about balance problems?
When to see a doctor for balance problems. If something seems off with your balance, it’s wise to see a doctor to investigate possible suspects, Dr. Honaker says. Inner ear problems are often to blame, so definitely mention symptoms such as changes in hearing, ringing or a feeling of fullness in the ears.
What part of the brain affects your balance?
Cerebellum
Cerebellum. The cerebellum sits at the back of the brain and controls your sense of balance. This allows you to stand up, walk in a straight line, and know if you are standing up or sitting down.
Can heart problems cause balance issues?
Abstract. Background and aims: Heart failure affects most systems of the body and causes various problems in patients. Balance deficits and gait deviations can be a result of these effects.
Why do I feel off balance everyday?
Inner ear and balance
Dizziness has many possible causes, including inner ear disturbance, motion sickness and medication effects. Sometimes it’s caused by an underlying health condition, such as poor circulation, infection or injury. The way dizziness makes you feel and your triggers provide clues for possible causes.
Can your ears affect your balance?
Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis are types of inner ear infection that affect your balance. They usually get better on their own within a few weeks.