Vertigo and Balance Specialists based in Watkinsville, Loganville and Lavonia, GA

Have you noticed feeling less confident navigating stairs or stepping onto the porch? You're not alone—over 90 million Americans experience vertigo, dizziness, and balance issues, with 9 million seeking help from an audiologist each year. Balance problems aren’t just uncomfortable—they pose serious health risks, contributing to over half of accidental deaths in seniors and more than 300,000 hip fractures annually for those over 65.

Since you’ve come to this page, you’re probably wondering, “Is there someone who does balance testing near me?”

You’ve come to the right place. Hearing + Balance Clinics provides dizziness and balance testing for Lavonia, Watkinsville, and Loganville, GA as well as for all individuals in Northeast Georgia. By using our experience, expertise, and state-of-the-art technology, we can diagnose your condition and provide personalized solutions to address it.

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Understanding How Your Ears Relate to Balance

Your ability to maintain balance is an intricate symphony conducted by three essential systems working in harmony: your vision, which provides crucial environmental cues; your vestibular system, housed in the inner ear; and your proprioceptive system, which processes sensory information from your muscles and joints. When any of these systems experiences disruption or malfunction, it can lead to balance disorders that affect your daily life and overall well-being.

The vestibular system, located within your inner ear, operates much like a carpenter's level, using three fluid-filled semicircular canals to detect head movements in all directions. As you move, this fluid interacts with specialized hairlike cells that send positioning signals to your brain. However, this delicate system can be compromised by various factors including disease, trauma, toxins, or natural deterioration, leading to symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, and nausea. It's important to note that these balance challenges aren't exclusive to older adults – they can affect people of any age, often occurring alongside or independent of hearing loss.

5 Signs you might need this Service

1

You experience sudden spells of dizziness or a sensation that the room is spinning around you.

2

You feel unsteady when walking or standing, especially in dark environments or on uneven surfaces.

3

You've had recent falls or near-falls that concern you or your family members.

4

You notice changes in your balance when moving your head quickly or changing positions, like getting up from bed.

5

You experience nausea or disorientation along with balance problems, impacting your daily activities.

Causes of Balance Disorders

Balance disorders involve disruptions or discoordination between any of the three systems associated with balance: visual system, vestibular system, and proprioceptive system. In relation to the vestibular system, common causes include:

1

Positional and Motion-Related Disorders

Includes BPPV, caused by displaced calcium crystals in the inner ear, and Motion Sickness/MdDS, which creates persistent sensations of movement after travel or exercise.

2

Neurological and Inflammatory Conditions

Encompasses vestibular migraines causing dizziness and vertigo, and vestibular neuritis resulting from nerve inflammation due to viral infections.

3

Inner Ear Fluid Disorders

Features Meniere's disease characterized by excess fluid buildup and tinnitus, and labyrinthitis involving inner ear inflammation from infections.

4

Structural Complications

Includes perilymph fistula, where inner ear fluid leaks into the middle ear, typically resulting from head trauma, ear surgery, or chronic infections.

What Our 4 Part APD Assessments Involve

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Pre-Test Preparation

Before your appointment, we ask you to follow specific guidelines to ensure the most accurate test results. Please avoid consuming alcohol for 24 hours prior to testing, and come to the clinic without mascara, eyeliner, or facial lotions, as these can interfere with the testing equipment. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled time to complete any necessary paperwork and become comfortable in our testing environment.

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Eye Movement Analysis

The first phase of testing involves sophisticated tracking of your eye movements using either electronystagmography (ENG) with small electrodes or videonystagmography (VNG) with specialized cameras. These systems record and analyze your eye movements as you respond to various visual stimuli, helping us understand how your vestibular system processes different types of movement and position changes.

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Motion and Balance Response Evaluation

This phase combines rotary chair testing and computerized dynamic posturography. In our state-of-the-art rotary chair, we measure your responses to controlled movements while viewing moving patterns. On our specialized force-sensing platform, we assess how well your body coordinates different sensory inputs from your inner ears, vision, and body's sensory systems to maintain balance, all while ensuring your safety with a support harness.

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4

Advanced Diagnostic Assessment

We perform specialized tests including Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) and Video Head Impulse Testing (vHIT). These advanced diagnostics measure specific aspects of your vestibular system, from muscle responses to sound stimuli to your ability to maintain clear vision during head movements. This comprehensive testing provides detailed insights into your vestibular system's functionality.

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Results Analysis and Treatment Planning

Following the assessment, we analyze all test results to create a detailed picture of your balance health. During a thorough consultation, we explain our findings using visual aids and clear language, helping you understand any identified balance issues. Together, we develop a personalized treatment plan that may include vestibular rehabilitation therapy, lifestyle modifications, or other interventions specifically tailored to your needs and goals.

Got Questions?

Balance disorder symptoms can be placed in two classifications:

  • Motion Intolerance. Dizziness and vertigo sometimes occur after rapid head movements or turning too quickly, which can lead to feelings of nausea. These symptoms can come and go quickly or continue for several hours at a time.
  • Imbalance or Unsteadiness. This class of symptoms involves difficulty walking as well as issues of imbalance or unsteadiness related to any kind of upright movement.

Balance testing helps identify which of the three systems related to balance is no longer working properly or identifies coordination issues between these systems.

Although there is no point in cramming for a balance test, there are certain guidelines to follow in preparation for your balance test, including:

  • Avoid drinking alcohol during the immediate 24 hours before your balance test.
  • Please refrain from wearing mascara, eyeliner, or facial lotion when you come to the clinic.
  • Try to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time so you can relax and get settled in before testing begins.

Many private health insurance companies, including Medicare, Medicaid, and V.A., cover all or portions of balance testing.

Depending on the condition, its severity, and the treatment used, some can see improvements within three to four short treatments.

VRT, or vestibular rehabilitation therapy, involves a series of exercises designed to help decrease your symptoms of dizziness and vertigo as well as protect you against balance-related falls. In addition, adjusting your diet, lifestyle, and participating in various activities also help prevent or limit the number or intensity of certain balance disorder episodes.

Treatment for balance disorders depends on the cause. Options include medications, physical therapy like vestibular rehabilitation, and procedures such as canalith repositioning for BPPV. Lifestyle changes and specialized therapies can also help manage symptoms.

Balance disorders can be linked to various medical conditions including inner ear infections, migraines, cardiovascular issues, and neurological disorders. Some medications can also affect balance. During your evaluation, we'll review your complete medical history and current medications to identify any potential connections that could be contributing to your symptoms.

If you experience sudden, severe dizziness or vertigo, find a safe place to sit or lie down immediately to prevent falls. Note any triggers or accompanying symptoms, as this information helps with diagnosis. While some episodes may pass quickly, persistent or severe symptoms warrant immediate medical attention, especially if accompanied by other symptoms like severe headache, difficulty speaking, or weakness.

Making your environment safer is crucial when managing a balance disorder. We recommend removing tripping hazards like loose rugs, ensuring adequate lighting, installing handrails in bathrooms and stairways, and using nightlights. Keep frequently used items within easy reach, and consider using assistive devices when recommended. During episodes of dizziness, move slowly and avoid sudden head movements. Regular exercise programs focused on strength and balance can also help reduce fall risk when done under proper supervision.

Schedule a Balance Assessment

Dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders can severely limit your active and independent lifestyle and lead to critical, fall-related injuries if left untreated. Getting help from a doctor of audiology at our Lavonia, Watkinsville, or Loganville clinic before the problem worsens is crucial to maintaining your overall health and well-being.

Contact us at the Hearing + Balance Clinics location nearest you by submitting the adjacent form and a member of our team will call you back and help you schedule a balance assessment.

Very nice and helpful staff. Always take time to let me ask questions. First time at the Watkinsville office but most of the same staff. I have been with them for several years now and very pleased.

Mike Smith
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