Aging and Balance Problems : Symptoms and Diagnosis

by National Institute on Aging

(Page 3 of 4)

Some people may have a balance problem without realizing it. Others might think they have a problem, but are too embarrassed to tell their doctor, friends, or family. You can help identify a possible balance problem by asking yourself some key questions and, if necessary, having your balance checked by a doctor.

Balance disorders can be difficult to diagnose because patients sometimes find it hard to describe their symptoms to a doctor. Patients may use words such as "dizzy," "woozy," or "lightheaded" to describe what they are feeling. For some people, the feeling can be brief, while for others, it can last a long time, disrupting their daily lives.

Woman in wheel chair.Balance disorders are serious. Sometimes they are a sign of other health problems, such as those affecting the brain, the heart, or circulation of the blood. They are also one cause of falls and fall-related injuries in older people. For these reasons, it is important to have a potential balance disorder diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you should discuss the symptom with your doctor.

• Do I feel unsteady?
• Do I feel as if the room is "spinning" around me?
• Do I feel as if I'm moving when I know I'm standing or sitting still?
• Do I lose my balance and fall?
• Do I feel as if I'm falling?
• Do I feel "lightheaded," or as if I might faint?
• Does my vision become blurred?
• Do I ever feel disoriented, losing my sense of time, place, or identity?

If you think that you have a balance disorder, you should schedule an appointment with your family doctor. You can help your doctor make a diagnosis by writing down key information about your dizziness or balance problem beforehand and giving the information to your doctor during the visit. Tell your doctor as much as you can.

Write down answers to these questions for your doctor:

• How would you describe your dizziness or balance problem?
• How often do you have dizziness or balance problems?
• Have you ever fallen? If so, when did you fall, where did you fall, and how often have you fallen?

Write down answers to these questions for your doctor:

• What medicines do you take? Remember to include all over-the-counter medicines, including aspirin, anti-histamines, and sleep aids.
• What is the name of the medicine?

Write down answers to these questions for your doctor:

• How much do you take each day?
• What times of the day do you take the medicine?
• What is the health condition for which you take the medicine?

Photo of a person being examined by an otolaryngologist. Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist. This doctor and surgeon has special training in problems of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck.

An otolaryngologist may ask you for your medical history and perform a physical examination to help figure out the possible causes of the balance disorder. He or she may also perform tests to determine the cause and extent of the problem.

Quiz

1. Balance disorders can be difficult to diagnose.

TRUE is the correct answer. One reason balance disorders can be difficult to diagnose is because patients sometimes find it hard to describe their symptoms to a doctor.

2. Dizzy spells are a natural part of aging and should be ignored.

FALSE is the correct answer. Balance disorders are serious. Sometimes they are a sign of other health problems, such as those affecting the brain, the heart, or circulation of the blood. They are also one cause of falls and fall-related injuries in older people. For these reasons, it is important to have a potential balance disorder diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

3. One sign of a possible balance disorder is blurred vision.

TRUE is the correct answer.

Among the signs of a balance disorder are

• blurred vision
• a tendency to lose one's balance and fall
• a feeling of movement when you're sitting or standing still
• unsteadiness or disorientation
• a feeling that you're falling, that you might faint, or that the room is "spinning."

4. Keeping track of certain details, such as when and where you have fallen or the type of medicines you take every day, can help your doctor diagnose a balance disorder.

TRUE is the correct answer. You can help your doctor make a diagnosis by writing down key information about your dizziness or balance problem beforehand and giving the information to your doctor during the visit.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.