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According to the American Medical Association and the Vestibular Disorders Association, dizziness or balance problems effect greater than 40% of all adults age sixty five (65) and older. It also affects many young people. The complaint of dizziness or vertigo is complex. Some people describe it as a swimming feeling in the head, feeling generally off balance or faint, or a true spinning sensation.

The feeling of dizziness can occur suddenly. It can occur in any situation or position, including when laying flat in bed or when driving your car. The source or site of the abnormality, which is the cause of your episodes, depends on your symptoms. In order to help you understand the condition and develop the proper treatment plan, learning about the balance system and what can go wrong is helpful.

Vertigo, or true spinning, is often caused by an inner ear problem. Fainting could be due to blood pressure problems. Dizziness could be related to medication side effects and neurologic problems including spinal cord and/or head injuries. Other health conditions can exacerbate your symptoms.

These may include visual loss, inner ear conditions, large joint arthritis, and previous spinal cord and back surgery. To assist in identifying the underlying condition, various tests based on your medical history and physical examination may be ordered. These include a complete hearing evaluation and a detailed balance test, including video electronystagmography (VENG). Once these tests are performed, additional evaluation including brain MRI scan and carotid ultrasound testing may be warranted. When the complete diagnosis has been determined a treatment protocol will be discussed.

Certain medications may be prescribed to help reduce the dizziness. These include a behind the ear patch called Scopolamine. Valium, which acts as a neurologic suppressant and/or Antivert, otherwise known as Meclizine, may help reduce the sensation of dizziness. Other conditions warrant
different types of treatment. These include Meniere’s disease, which very often is managed by the use of diet modifications including the elimination of salt and the utilization of diuretics such as Lasix or Dyazide. Other conditions such as benign positional vertigo can be treated with specific vestibular (inner ear) exercises, which are part of a physical therapy treatment regimen. Additionally, at-home exercise instructions may be provided in specific circumstances so you can decrease the dizziness through simple life-style changes.

Keep in mind medicine is an art and not an exact science. There is no specific pathway that fits every individual’s complaints. Your diagnosis, evaluation and treatment will be tailored according to your condition and specific needs. Rest assured that we at Drs. Berghash & Lanza’s office are committed to getting you back on your feet.

About our Audiologists

Hyo Chang Arnold, M.A, CCC-A
Ms. Arnold received her Master’s degree in Audiology at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and has also completed a research fellowship at the University of Iowa where she served as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Cochlear Implant Program for four years. Hyo has also received Masters degree in Engineering from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.

Donna L. Langlois, M.A., FAAA
Ms. Langlois completed her training at the University of Iowa and has over twenty years experience in the hearing industry. Donna possesses extensive knowledge in a variety of hearing solutions and is committed to meeting the needs of her patients. She has served in various capacities from Clinical Audiology to executive level management with a large hearing care company.

Michele P. Phillips. Au.D.
Michele P. Phillips received her Bachelor and Masters degrees at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She later continued her education and received her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from Arizona School of Health Sciences. Dr. Phillips has over fifteen (15) years of experience in various clinical settings. She has worked with patients from infants to geriatrics in both diagnostic audiology, vestibular/balance testing, and hearing aids. Dr. Phillips has a focused interest in pediatrics and the early detection of hearing loss in children and adolescents.

Drs. Berghash, Lanza, Wright or Zeiders will order the test appropriate for your individual symptoms.

We also dispense a wide variety of state of the art hearing aides from GN ReSound, Widex, Phonak and many others.