Balance Disorder Testing
Get the right care to diagnose the cause of your dizziness and balance symptoms.
Balance Disorder Testing
Get the right care to diagnose the cause of your dizziness and balance symptoms.
How do I know if I have a balance disorder:
Assessing balance is complex. Good balance requires the collaboration of our vestibular system and vision, as well as sensory inputs from our muscles, joints, and feet. One can experience a loss of balance if any one of these variables is not working properly.
Balance issues are common, but they are not without consequence. They can not only inhibit many day-to-day activities, but can also be an indication of more serious health risks.
The good news? Your options for diagnosis and treatment are more effective than ever. You can have more than hope, you can actually have relief!
Schedule your balance screening today.
Colorado Ear Care offers advanced vestibular testing including:
Rotary Chair Testing
Colorado Ear Care has rotary chair testing available, the same equipment used by Johns Hopkins and Mayo clinic. This important test is not often not available due to the expense of the equipment. During rotary chair testing, you will sit in a computerized chair and wear a pair of infrared video goggles. The goggles record eye movements as you slowly rotate in the chair. This test is very helpful in diagnosing and localizing the source of your dizziness or balance issue, specifically targeting the horizontal semicircular canal and the superior vestibular nerve.
Videonystagmography (VNG)
VNG or Videonystagmography is the most used test of vestibular function. It utilizes infrared video cameras recording the movement of each eye. Eye movement is analyzed during a series of tests to determine if there are weaknesses in the vestibular system, potential central nervous system abnormalities or vertigo that is present when the head is in specific positions.
Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs)
A very specific test that provides information about the saccule. The saccule is a sensory organ in the vestibular system that is responsible for gathering sensory information to orient the body in space, specifically linear movement in the vertical plane. VEMPs are recorded by presenting sound into the ear and measuring the response via electrodes on the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The test is quick and non-invasive.
Gans Sensory Organization Performance Test (SOP)
This is a simple, quick test that provides information about whether an equilibrium dysfunction exists and whether the patient relies on surfaces or vision to maintain their balance.
Visual Acuity Test
Tests for a change in vision with controlled head movement. Results may be used as a baseline that can later be compared to results following Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy.
Audiologic Testing
This is the core testing used to measure hearing ability. Since the organs of balance are integrated with the organ of hearing, it is important to understand if a hearing loss exists, and if so, whether it is occurring in the outer ear, middle ear or inner ear. Beyond traditional audiometry, at Colorado Ear Care, we also measure Otoacoustic Emissions and Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BAER) so that we can be certain of what type of hearing loss there is and where it is occurring.
Take our balance and dizziness quiz
Answer the following questions with a Yes or No, depending on your experience. If you answered yes to one or more questions on this quiz, we encourage you to consider a vestibular and equilibrium evaluation.
Talk to a balance and dizziness expert about your symptoms.
© American Institute of Balance, Inc.