Balance Problems
If you are feeling off balance (a condition called disequilibrium), possible causes include problems of the vestibular system located in the inner ear and brain, failing vision or nerve damage in the legs, which is common in older adults.
Muscle weakness and osteoarthritis in your hips, knees or ankles also can contribute to loss of balance. Sometimes loss of balance can be a side effect of certain medications, such as seizure drugs, sedatives and tranquilizers.
Most balance disorders can be treated effectively before they result in disability. At Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN) Balance and Vestibular Program, part of the LVHN Neuroscience Center, we can quickly diagnose the cause of your balance problems so you can begin treatment and return to a better quality of life. The conditions we treat include:
- Acoustic neuroma
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Cogan’s syndrome
- Labyrinthitis
- Ménière's disease
- Migraine-associated vertigo
- Ototoxicity
- Perilymph fistula
- Vestibular neuritis