Nerve damage in your feet. Many things can cause balance problems in elderly adults. “So often, dizziness is listed as a side effect of medications,” Dr. Honaker points out. A stroke requires prompt emergency medical care. NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date. Lea sobre este tema en español. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes and, in some cases, may even save lives. Do I ever feel disoriented, losing my sense of time, place, or identity. Sometimes, a physical injury makes it difficult to move all or part of the body. Another cause of vertigo is Ménière’s disease, a condition that affects the inner ear, inducing dizziness and hearing changes. The vestibular apparatus is the area that controls the balance and coordination in your cat. The vestibular system is part of the inner ear. ms damage to nerve pathways may hamper coordination and/or cause weakness, poor balance, numbness, or spasticity (abnormal increase in muscle tone). Problems with the nervous system, the inner ear, or the circulatory system can make it difficult to coordinate movement. Treatment for chronic medical conditions vary. Read about this topic in Spanish. Most progressive disorders are not curable, but medication and rehabilitation may slow the disease. A condition called labyrinthitis occurs when the labyrinth becomes infected or swollen. They may make a person feel like the room is spinning. It is normal to feel dizzy when sick, tired, drunk, or under the influence of certain medications. Your doctor will start by reviewing your medical history and conducting a physical and neurological examination.To determine if your symptoms are caused by problems in the balance function in your inner ear, your doctor is likely to recommend tests. These feelings can happen whether you're lying down, sitting or standing.Many body systems — including your muscles, bones, joints, vision, the balance organ in the inner ear, nerves, heart and blood vessels — must work normally for you to have normal balance. It is common for balance to decline as a person ages. These may present immediately after the injury or start weeks or months later. The two can be difficult to distinguish, and you may need to consult your veterinarian. Some common causes of hepatic disease include viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and cancer 2.Some symptoms that result from liver disease may impact walking or gait function 2. Ear Infections. However, people who are generally inactive may find they have trouble with balance. Sensory integration issues, which can affect a person’s reactions to light, sound, touch and movement can cause loss of balance while walking. You might experience other symptoms such as: Other symptoms might include nausea and vomiting; diarrhea; changes in heart rate and blood pressure; and fear, anxiety, or panic. WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms abnormal gait (walking), loss of balance, loss of coordination and numbness or … Symptoms are often intense enough to disrupt daily activities, and they…, Respiratory depression, or hypoventilation, is when the lungs do not exchange gases properly, causing a low breathing rate. All rights reserved. It also works together with the eyes and brain to make movement feel smooth and coordinated. MedlinePlus In addition, recent surgery or hospitalization and other acute medical illnesses may lead to gait and balance disorders. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system causing difficulties with balance, speech, and movement. Wearing a safety harness, you try to remain standing on a moving platform. The symptoms of Spinal Stenosis can affect a person’s balance. To reduce your risk of injury from dizziness, avoid walking in the dark. However, the way that they’re managed differs, so you would need to know what’s causing your balance problems before they can be treated. This ranges from unsteadiness and difficulty with walking to dizziness or lethargy. Alcohol and drugs may also make it more difficult to walk or move without falling. You might feel that you're going to fall down. The vestibular system helps the brain coordinate numerous actions, including standing up, walking, reaching for objects, and knowing when the body is moving or not. This happens because during freezing a person rapidly shifts their weight from foot to foot to take a step. Confusion or disorientation. Inner ear maculae respond to changes in head position. Do I feel as if the room is spinning around me, even only for brief periods of time? Some of the most common are: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or positional vertigo: A brief, intense episode of vertigo triggered by a... Labyrinthitis: An infection or inflammation of the inner ear that causes dizziness and loss of balance. Some diseases of the circulatory system, such as stroke, can cause dizziness and other balance problems. Depending on the severity of the injury, this may cause balance and mobility problems, or may completely paralyze a person. These headaches affect the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance. Balance problems can make you feel dizzy, as if the room is spinning, unsteady, or lightheaded. Do I feel lightheaded, or as if I might faint? Balance disorders can be signs of other health problems, such as an ear infection, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. Some medications can also contribute. While many balance problems are relatively harmless, it is impossible for a person to diagnose the cause on their own. National Library of Medicine      www.medlineplus.gov, Mayo Clinicwww.mayoclinic.org/patient-care-and-health-information, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders It is common, with 20–30% of people experiencing symptoms at some point during their lives. The vestibular system is the part of the inner ear involved in … A person with good coordination may struggle to walk on crutches or a broken leg. Medication is one of the most common culprits of balance problems. Many different conditions can cause a loss of balance, including inner ear infections and Ménière’s disease. We partner with some of the companies that sell these products, which means Healthline UK and our partners may receive a portion of revenues if you make a purchase using a link(s) above. These tests may include radiographs, x-rays, MRIs, and tomography scans. Low blood pressure can also cause dizziness. If a person has concerns about dizziness, they should talk to a doctor. Many people experience freezing as they approach a narrow space, like an elevator door. If not, ask if the dosage can be safely reduced. Causes of balance problems include: Vertigo causes dizziness when you move your head. Migraine medications may ease symptoms, while some people also find relief from lifestyle changes. In this article, we look at 6 possible exercises that can…, Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. Symptoms may come and go over short time periods or last for a long time, and can lead to fatigue and depression. Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist, a doctor with special training in problems of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck. Ataxia is a sensory dysfunction that causes balance problems in dogs. To recover from a stroke, a person may need medication and physical therapy. If the feeling happens often, it could be a sign of a balance problem. Learn more about falls and falls prevention from NIA. This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). ED is increasing in men under age 40 and some…, Exercises and stretches are important parts of recovery from a herniated or slipped disk. There are several causes of vestibular disease, but the disease is usually considered idiopathic because the cause is not always known. Usually the legs do not stop moving, instead they tremble or the knees move. Some people experience vestibular migraines. Learn about its causes…, The conditions known to cause foaming at the mouth are all medical emergencies. Vertigo is a collection of symptoms, not a diagnosis. Go to the emergency room if a person experiences dizziness after a fall or car accident, or if there are signs of a stroke, such as slurred speech or numbness on one side of the body. In some cases, you can help reduce your risk for certain balance problems. Even healthy older adults can experience less secure balance than when they were younger. Gait problems in ms are caused by a variety of factors. Some exercises help make up for a balance disorder by moving the head and body in certain ways. Any medication that changes the way the brain functions can affect balance. 2. They include rabies, seizures, and drug overdoses. Brain injuries may affect balance and mobility. They might include: 1. Physical injuries, in contrast, usually cause movement issues in specific areas of the body. 800-241-1055 (TTY/toll-free)nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.govwww.nidcd.nih.gov. However, your doctor will help you get the medication you need while trying to reduce unwanted side effects. For example, sleeping medications may make people feel slower and sluggish, causing them to trip or feel dizzy. But age is not the only reason these problems occur. Hearing tests. People with inner ear problems are more vulnerable to vertigo, as the inner ear is a key source of a person’s sense of balance. A disorder affecting your inner ear. As mentioned earlier, problems related with joints, nervous system, ear, nutrition, brain, spine, vision etc can lead to imbalance. Diagnosing balance problems usually begins with looking at a person’s medical history. The vet will run tests to look for a lesion in your dog's brain, inner ear or spinal cord. Here it is called Thoracic Stenosis. People who suffer a traumatic brain injury or a concussion may have balance issues. Vertigo can also occur when tiny crystals inside the inner ear move out of place, affecting balance. Have you ever felt dizzy, lightheaded, or as if the room were spinning around you? Issues like dizziness and vertigo can occur if there are significant vision problems or even after a head injury from a fall. For example, there are many infections that can affect the peripheral nerves and result in difficulty walking. Abnormal development of the muscles or bones of your legs or feet.