New Technology and Help for Those Suffering From Dizziness, Vertigo and Balance Problems

Unsteadiness, frequent loss of balance, dizziness and vertigo can be frightening symptoms that are hard to treat. There are many reasons why a person might feel dizzy or unsteady; the most common of which are inner ear problems, positional vertigo, head injury, eye tracking problems and some less common, but nasty ones that include stroke and other serious health concerns. Unsteadiness can be a dangerous situation. Falls and accidents occur frequently in a patient that has trouble with balance. Less known symptoms can include difficulty in reading and poor schoolwork. These latter symptoms often occur because the eyes don't track correctly, making reading lines of text almost impossible. Dizzy and unsteady patients often also experience headaches and likewise certain types of migraine headaches, known as vertiginous migraines can produce awful bouts of spinning, dizziness and even nausea. Most of us think that balance disorders or dizziness comes from the head. Certainly the brain, inner ear and a brain network called the vestibular system can be common causes of balance disorders. The base of the brain and a part of the brain known as the cerebellum often contribute to dizziness, unsteadiness and balance issues. Less well known is unsteadiness that is associated with neuropathy of the feet. Typically, we think of foot neuropathy in terms of burning pain and numbness, not balance problems. But if your brain can't "feel" where your feet are, it makes it very difficult to walk with a stable gait. Patients suffering from neuropathy often stumble and frequently fall because they simply lose track of where their feet are while they are walking or standing.