Balance Disorders

What are Balance Disorders?

Balance disorders are conditions that make you feel dizzy, unsteady, spinning – vertigo, or like you might fall. They often come from issues in the inner ear – vestibular system, but the brain, eyes, nerves, or medications can also be involved.

Common symptoms

Balance disorders can feel different for everyone. You might notice:

  • Dizziness or spinning sensations (vertigo)

  • Feeling unsteady or “floating”
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Trouble walking
  • Anxiety (very common with balance issues)

How balance disorders are diagnosed

Balance disorders can feel different for everyone. You might notice:

  • Medical history
  • Ear and neurological exams – This can be provided by our Ear Nose and Throat consultants at 150 Harley street.
  • Hearing tests
  • Balance tests
  • Imaging (MRI/CT) if needed

Personalised Treatment Options

The right treatment depends on what’s causing your symptoms. Options may include:

  • Repositioning manoeuvres – Especially helpful for BPPV.
  • Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) – Specialised physiotherapy to retrain your balance system.
  • Medication – To reduce symptoms like dizziness or nausea.
  • Dietary adjustments – Useful for conditions like Ménière’s disease.
  • Managing underlying health issues – Such as migraines or blood pressure problems.

Common Balance Conditions Explained

For many people, tinnitus doesn’t simply fade or disappear over time. This is due to four key neurological and physiological factors that sustain and reinforce the perception of sound.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

  • Sudden spinning when turning your head or lying down
  • Caused by tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear
  • Very common and highly treatable with simple repositioning techniques

Vestibular Neuritis & Labyrinthitis

  • Sudden, intense vertigo — often after a viral illness
  • Labyrinthitis may also include hearing loss
  • Can feel frightening, but recovery is possible with the right support

Ménière’s Disease

  • Episodes of spinning that can last from minutes to hours
  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness
  • Symptoms may come and go, but management is available

Central Causes of Dizziness

  • Includes migraines, strokes, multiple sclerosis, and brain injuries
  • Often involves other neurological signs: blurred vision, speech issues, weakness
  • Requires specialist assessment and tailored care

Medication-Induced Dizziness

  • Certain drugs (e.g. sedatives, antidepressants, blood pressure meds) can impact balance
  • Alcohol can also contribute to unsteadiness

Age-Related Balance Issues

  • Slower reflexes, weaker muscles, and changes in vision are natural with age
  • These can affect stability, but targeted treatment can help maintain confidence and mobility

Balance Tests at London Hearing

If you’re experiencing dizziness, vertigo, unsteadiness, or nausea, our Balance Clinic at London Hearing, 150 Harley Street, offers advanced diagnostic testing and expert care to help identify the root cause and guide your recovery.

Led by highly trained audiologists and working in partnership with world-renowned ENT consultants, we deliver clear answers, fast access to testing, and a personalised approach for every patient.

We welcome self-referrals, as well as referrals from GPs and ENT specialists.

Why Choose Our Balance Clinic?

  • Rapid access to appointments, helping to minimise delays in diagnosis
  • Clear, detailed reports delivered promptly to support clinical decision-making between our audiologists and ENT specialists
  • Access to advanced diagnostic testing not routinely available in many healthcare settings
  • A multidisciplinary team working collaboratively to deliver accurate diagnoses and personalised patient care

Our Balance Testing Suite

Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMP)

This test evaluates how neck muscles respond to sound or vibration, helping assess specific inner ear and nerve pathway function. cVEMP is valuable for identifying types of vestibular dysfunction and tailoring your treatment plan accordingly.

Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (oVEMP)

oVEMP evaluates the vestibular system by recording reflex responses from the eye muscles following sound or vibration stimulation. It is particularly useful for detecting subtle or localized vestibular deficits that may not be apparent on other balance assessments. oVEMP helps clarify complex dizziness symptoms and guide precise clinical management.

Videonystagmography (VNG)

VNG is a detailed assessment that tracks eye movements in response to visual, positional, and temperature-based stimuli. It helps determine whether dizziness originates from the inner ear or the brain — and which side is affected — guiding precise diagnosis and treatment.

Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT)

vHIT measures the function of the semicircular canals by assessing how well the eyes remain stable during brief, rapid head movements. It evaluates the vestibulo-ocular reflex and can identify reduced or asymmetric function in individual canals. This high level of specificity allows clinicians to pinpoint which components of the vestibular system are affected, supporting targeted diagnosis and therapy.

Posturography

Posturography evaluates overall balance control by analysing how the brain integrates input from the vestibular system, vision, and body sensation. While standing on a specialized force platform, subtle body movements are measured under different test conditions. This assessment helps identify sensory integration problems, postural instability, and fall risk. This makes it particularly valuable for patients with dizziness, imbalance, unexplained falls, or complex neurological and inner ear conditions.

Personalised Treatment After Testing

Following your assessment, your ENT specialist will create a customised treatment plan based on your individual diagnosis. This might include:

  • Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT)
  • Medication to ease symptoms
  • Lifestyle or dietary advice
  • Management of underlying conditions

The goal is to reduce symptoms, restore confidence, and improve your overall balance and quality of life.

Take the First Step Towards Balance and Confidence

If you’re struggling with dizziness, vertigo, or unexplained unsteadiness, you’re not alone and you don’t have to manage it on your own. Our expert team at London Hearing, 150 Harley Street, is here to help you find answers and get back on steady ground.