Understanding the Vestibular System:

Balance, Stability, and More

The vestibular system is a complex network in our bodies playing an instrumental role in maintaining our balance, stability, and spatial orientation. When this system encounters problems, individuals might face dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and other debilitating symptoms. At Hearing Excellence, we’ve introduced the innovative Vestibular Assessment and management service in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), dedicated to helping individuals suffering from these conditions.

What Does the Vestibular System Do?

The vestibular system’s core function is to keep us balanced. It comprises a complex structure in the inner ear known as the ‘labyrinth’, which senses the body’s movement and orientation in space. It communicates with the eyes, muscles, and brain to control your body’s position and maintain equilibrium, whether you’re stationary or in motion.

The Vital Role of the Vestibular System

The vestibular system comprises inner ear components and certain brain parts responsible for maintaining our body’s equilibrium. From the simplest activities like standing and walking to more complex movements like running and jumping, this system keeps us upright and balanced. But when vestibular disorders occur, they can significantly impact an individual’s daily life.

Statistics show that about 10% of Canadians experience some form of vestibular dysfunction in their lifetime. Vestibular disorders can affect people of all age groups, with conditions like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and vestibular neuritis being more common in adults. Aging-related changes in the vestibular system can also lead to balance issues in older adults. The causes can be diverse and multifactorial, ranging from inner ear conditions, head trauma, viral infections to medication side effects, and aging.

Vestibular Assessment & Management at Hearing Excellence

Recognizing the urgent need for specialized care in this domain, Hearing Excellence is committed to providing top-tier care for those affected. Our Vestibular Assessment & Management service is designed to provide comprehensive evaluations, accurate diagnoses, and personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs. By leveraging state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and the knowledge of our highly skilled audiologists, we ensure the accurate identification of vestibular disorders and offer evidence-based interventions.

To conduct a vestibular assessment, we collect detailed information about your symptoms and medical history. A series of balance tests are conducted, including the use of infrared goggles to examine the inner sensors responsible for balance. These tests provide insights into the coordination between your eyes, body, and brain as they work together to maintain balance.

Further investigations, such as the Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and dynamic visual acuity testing (DVI), are performed for a comprehensive understanding of your condition. These tests assess the function of your vestibular system by analyzing eye movements in response to rapid head movements and your visual acuity during motion, respectively.