Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems.
What causes balance disorders? Causes of balance problems include medications, ear infection, a head injury, or anything else that affects the inner ear or brain. Low blood pressure can lead to dizziness when you stand up too quickly.
What causes a balance disorder? Inner ear problems are common causes of a balance disorder, especially in younger people. Other causes can include medicine side effects, vision problems, problems with nerves in the legs or feet, allergies, infections, arthritis, anxiety, low blood pressure, and dehydration.
Most adults don't think about their balance until they fall. The fact is, balance declines begin somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age. The National Institute of Health reports that one in three people over 65 will experience a fall each year.
Neurological Conditions
Illnesses like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and cervical spondylosis slowly damage the way your nervous system talks to your brain, which can affect your balance. Physical therapy can help you manage the symptoms.
Untreated, vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems, such as persistent tingling in the hands and feet or problems with balance. It can lead to mental confusion and forgetfulness because vitamin B-12 is necessary for healthy brain function.
Disorientation and impaired vision are some common symptoms. Problems with balance are frequent signs of several illnesses. Many of these problems don't need to be treated by a doctor. However, if you experience balance issues, you should visit a doctor to rule out more serious health issues like a tumor or stroke.
Dizziness has many possible causes, including inner ear disturbance, motion sickness and medication effects. Sometimes it's caused by an underlying health condition, such as poor circulation, infection or injury. The way dizziness makes you feel and your triggers provide clues for possible causes.
Some types of balance disorders get better on their own. For others, symptoms may come and go or continue for weeks, months, or longer. Depending on the cause, medicine or surgery may help some children. Physical therapy and balance training can help kids manage their symptoms.
In sum, increased fear and anxiety can lead to stiffening movement and altered postural control, gait, head movements and visual search strategies. All of this can impede balance.
Abstract. Background and aims: Heart failure affects most systems of the body and causes various problems in patients. Balance deficits and gait deviations can be a result of these effects.
Unsteadiness, dizziness, feeling dizzy or light-headed are common symptoms of stress, including the stress anxiety causes. Unfortunately, doctors often misdiagnose stress- and anxiety-related unsteadiness as a symptom of Vertigo or Meniere's Disease.
Neurological conditions: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are examples of medical conditions that may affect your sense of balance. Cardiovascular disease: Heart issues may make you feel faint, lightheaded or dizzy and affect your balance.
Signs and symptoms of balance problems include: Sense of motion or spinning (vertigo) Feeling of faintness or lightheadedness (presyncope) Loss of balance or unsteadiness.
While the vast majority of balance problems are caused by problems with the inner ear, there may be neurological causes for balance disorders which require neurological care.
Vitamin D may improve muscle strength and function, as well as balance due to the improved strength.
An acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is a benign tumor that develops on the balance (vestibular) and hearing, or auditory (cochlear) nerves leading from your inner ear to the brain, as shown in the top image. The pressure on the nerve from the tumor may cause hearing loss and imbalance.
Specialist neurological physiotherapy treatment can often dramatically relieve symptoms and improve confidence for those with balance problems. Our treatment can aid rehabilitation through training improved mobility and balance.
Vision problems such as eye strain and poor eyesight can cause dizziness and balance problems. Visual information is crucial for learning, movement, and maintaining good posture and balance.
“Typically, a person in their 50s should be able to balance on one leg for around 40 seconds. Someone in their 60s is looking at 20 seconds, and someone in their 70s is around 10 seconds,” Lubetzky continued.