A sensation of spinning along with loss of equilibrium is known as vertigo. Have you ever experienced the twirls of a giant wheel in amusement parks? If yes, you have experienced what vertigo feels like, but not in a fun way though. Read more What is a vertigo balance test?.
A person suffering from vertigo experiences whether he is spinning or the room is spinning all by itself which in reality is not in any motion. As soon as a person starts experiencing spinning sensations, the world seems to start getting blurry and he experiences a loss of balance. Nausea and vomiting are often accompanied by vertigo spells.
Repeated episodes of vertigo dizziness spells and persistent vertigo conditions make it difficult for a person to carry out their day to day activities. Simple activities like walking, running, climbing stairs and so on are avoided due to the sudden occurrence of vertigo bouts without any warning signs. Loss of balance, lightheadedness, swaying in one direction, spinning sensations, nausea are some of the common vertigo symptoms that are triggered suddenly and can make the person disoriented all of a sudden.
Vertigo dizziness is likely to occur in anyone regardless of age and gender but is majorly found in people ranging between the age group of 40 to 65 years.
The underlying cause of vertigo can range from mild to chronic. Mild cases can be treated well at home with certain vertigo home remedies and repositioning manoeuvres. They are the best vertigo treatment if the case is mild. In the case of the chronic and persistent condition, identifying the underlying cause is a must to get the right vertigo treatment.
Consult an expert medical professional to get yourself diagnosed if you are experiencing any vertigo bouts or balance disorders. He will ask you to undergo various vertigo balance tests like VNG Test, ENG test and so on to diagnose the underlying vertigo cause or balance disorder before suggesting any vertigo treatment. A Vertin tablet is the most commonly prescribed drug to treat vertigo balance disorders, if the case is chronic. Some conditions are analyzed with one Vertigo test whereas another condition requires patients to go through a series of vertigo balance tests for an accurate diagnosis.
Some vertigo balance tests need a couple of minutes whereas some take a longer time duration to complete the procedure. Different tests, different procedures and different time frames. Your neurologist will ask you to undergo a vertigo test depending on the symptoms you show. All vertigo tests are carried by expert and trained medical professionals. First, let’s understand what a vertigo balance test is.
What is a vertigo balance test?
When a person feels woozy or unsteady or experiences dizziness, such a condition is known as balance disorder. It can be caused due to various reasons starting from simple dehydration to BPPV vertigo.
Dizziness may or may not include vertigo. If you are experiencing spinning sensations along with a feeling of loss of balance, in that case, you are experiencing vertigo dizziness.
A series of tests that are used to diagnose the underlying cause of balance disorders are known as vertigo balance tests.
Inflammation to the vestibular system responsible for maintaining the balance of the body by sending sensory signals from the inner ear to the brain results in a balance disorder. Problems with your vision can even directly affect your balance.
Age-related issues are one of the most common factors for balance disorders apart from inflammation in sensory organs.
Vertigo balance test helps in examining the underlying cause of balance disorder so that doctors can suggest the right treatment that works on healing the patients.
Why do you need to undergo a vertigo balance test?
If you are experiencing any balance disorder symptoms like dizziness, spinning sensations, Loss of balance while walking or running, swaying or tilting in one direction, Ringing in the ears (tinnitus), lightheadedness, floating sensation, difficulty in concentration, Blurred vision or double vision, etc. it indicates for a medical call to get yourself diagnosed.
What are the common underlying conditions diagnosed during vertigo tests?
Vertigo balance issues are caused due to several reasons starting from side effects of medications to more severe cases like head injury result in causing balance disorders. Here is a list of some common causes of vertigo balance disorders that are necessary to diagnose before suggesting any vertigo treatment:
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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is one of the most common causes of vertigo that leads to spinning sensations and balance disorders due to the deposition of calcium crystals in the inner ear.
Calcium crystals present in the inner ear cause interruption in the sensory signals to the brain, resulting in making a person lose balance.
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Meniere’s disease
The build-up of excess fluid in the inner results in making a person feels dizzy thereby causing balance disorders.
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Vestibular neuritis
It is another such cause that results in causing balance problems in the patient due to inflammation in the inner ear caused due to simple viruses like cold and flu.
What are some common vertigo balance tests?
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ENG Test
ENG or we call it Electronystagmography test, is commonly suggested by neurologists to diagnose the underlying cause of balance disorder. In ENG tests, the movement of the eyes is tracked, which helps the doctor to understand the patient’s balance system and brain functioning. ENG test is conducted in a dark room where doctors ask the patient to track visual targets which helps doctors to analyze jerky eye movements. ENG is one of the effective tests that help in diagnosing inner ear problems that leads to balance disorders.
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VNG Test
VNG stands for Videonystagmography test. It is a more advanced technology than ENG tests that give more accurate results but works on the same procedure. It helps in examining abnormal eye movements caused due to inner ear disorders. Patients are asked to wear goggles with infrared cameras in VNG tests.
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Video Head Impulse Test or dix hallpike maneuver
In a dix hallpike maneuver test your doctor will ask you to move your head in different positions or ask you to change your position quickly from sitting to standing to lying. Your doctor will examine your eye movement while you are changing positions to evaluate whether you are experiencing any false sense of motion or spinning.
With the advancements in technology, the latest version of dix hallpike maneuver test is known as the Video Head Impulse Test. In VHIT, a patient is asked to wear a google to track eye movement when the doctor turns your head in different positions.
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Rotary chair test
Rotary chair test is another vertigo balance test. In the Rotary chair test, you are asked to sit on a computer-controlled chair that rotates in one place and your eye movements are analyzed during the same duration to identify the cause of balance disorder.
Certain vertigo test can make you feel dizzy, but the feeling alleviates soon after a few minutes. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms of balance disorders to get yourself diagnosed and get the right vertigo treatment on time.
