Staying Steady: Balance Problems and Treatment
It’s estimated that at any given moment, 6.2 million American adults struggle with a chronic problem of balance, dizziness, or both. And, the problem only increases with age.
Effective balance involved comfortably controlling and maintaining your body’s position when walking, climbing stairs, standing, or even sitting.
This grand balancing act is no easy process! It requires your muscles to work smoothly with several sensory systems. Any interruption or issue in any of these systems can lead to dizziness, loss of balance, and falls.
- Vision: Eyes send impulses to the brain that provide visual cues identifying how a person is oriented relative to other objects.
- Somatic System: With any movement of the legs, arms, and other body parts, sensory receptors respond by sending impulses to the brain. These impulses help our brain determine where our body is in space.
- Auditory System: Nerve signals from your inner ear are sent to the brain with more information about your body’s motion, equilibrium, and spatial orientation.
As we grow older, these systems also weaken. Our eyesight fades and our muscles ability to sense surroundings declines. So, balance problems can come from a variety of physical and neurological issues.
The good news, however, is that balance problems aren’t something you just have to live with.
Depending on the cause, your doctor can prescribe a variety of treatments including diet and lifestyle changes, balances retraining exercises, medication, or even cognitive behavioral therapy.
At Baker Rehab Group, we provide balance treatment through physical therapy.
Under the guidance of our trained professionals, patients participate in exercises that involve specific movements of the head and body. These exercises teach the brain and body how to compensate for any weaknesses helping reduce the effects of balance problems. Contact Baker Rehab Group’s Brain & Balance Center to learn more about our treatment options.