Vestibular & BAlance Assessment

The tests will be carried out whilst you are sitting in a chair with sensors placed on either side of your eyes and on your forehead to record the eye movement and with goggles around your eyes that have a video camera on one side to video the eye movements.

Some of the tests are carried out in the dark. Initially you will be asked to look at a small red light on a bar in front of you and follow it as instructed. This is followed by the chair moving gently from side to side and then turning all the way round. Next you will be asked to look ahead as a black and white striped curtain moves around you. Finally   you will be asked to use your eyes to follow  a red light moving from side to side in front of you.

This important test helps determine if there is any difference between the balance function of each ear. Eye movement will be recorded either with a camera or by observing eye movement. The test is performed whilst you are lying on a couch and by irrigating the outer part of the ear with water 7°C above and then 7° C below body temperature for each ear.

This change in temperature changes the density of the inner ear fluid and gives you a sense of rotation/dizziness resulting in eye movement known as nystagmus. It is this nystagmus that we are looking to observe and which lasts for a couple of minutes before gradually fading away.

Posturography is a balance test which measures your balance ability under different circumstances. You need to stand on a platform surrounded by a pictorial screen. The tester will inform you what is going to happen for each test condition as to whether the platform and/or the surround move(s), or instruct you to close your eyes when required.

The test results demonstrate the contributions of different systems to your balance maintenance, and can show the improvement after your treatment.

Accumulation of crystals in parts of the inner ear can lead to positionally induced dizziness often occurring whilst turning in bed or looking up or down. The Dix Hallpike manoeuvre enables us to determine whether your dizziness is caused as a result of the above pathology.

To carry out the test the doctor will lie you down quickly to stimulate the balance system, and eye movements will be observed. The particles can be then repositioned to treat the problem.

This test is used to evaluate the function of a part of your balance apparatus. Three electrodes are attached: One on the forehead, another on the neck muscle, and the third on the collar bone. You will be asked to lie down on a couch and listen to some clicking sounds via headphones, whilst at the same time activating the neck muscle by turning or lifting your head. The electrical potential from the muscle is recorded to demonstrate the function of the balance system.

Video head impulse test is an ear-specific test of balance that records the vestibulo-ocular reflex (i.e. the reflective eye movement that is generated by a head movement to keep eyes steady on a visual target) and identifies which ear and which balance organ within the ear has a problem.

You will be asked to wear goggles that will record your eye movements with a camera and to look at a visual target while the examiner will move your head left or right as well as up on down on two vertical planes.