A balance disorder is a condition that makes a patient feel unbalanced, lightheaded, woozy or dizzy. If a patient is standing, sitting, or laying down in bed or on a sofa, he/she might feel as if he/she is moving, floating, or spinning. Sometimes patient feels nauseated as well. Spinning is best being described as the environment is moving around the patient either clockwise or counter clockwise.

It’s not unusual to have a dizzy spell now and then, but the term “dizziness” often means different things to different people. For one patient, dizziness might mean a sensation of fleeting feeling or faintness, while for another it could be a very intense feeling of spinning (vertigo) that can last between minutes up to several days. Dizziness is not a disease, rather a symptom of various disorders.

Balance disorders can be caused by different health conditions, medications, or a problems in the inner ear (semicircular canals, sacculus, utriculus) or the brain. Symptoms such as “spinning” and “vertigo” are often inner ear related and therefore, patients should consults with an ENT-specialist as soon as possible.

Symptoms of balance disorder

• Dizziness or vertigo (a spinning sensation)
• Falling or feeling as if patient is going to fall
• Lightheadedness, faintness, or a floating sensation
• Blurred vision
• Confusion or disorientation.

Causes of balance disorders

• Ear infections (viral or bacterial)
• Motion sickness
• Medication
• Low blood pressure
• Neck pain
• Head- and neck injury (cervicogenic dizziness)
• Orthostatic dysregulation (low blood pressure can lead to dizziness when patient stands up too quickly).
• Arthritis
• Other conditions that effect the inner ear or brain