Tests are Available to Determine the Cause of FallingBy Sheila Dwyer, Body1 Staff
For the elderly population, falling presents a major threat. Balance-related falls are responsible for more than 50 percent of the accidental deaths among the elderly. Despite this fact, symptoms of dizziness are rarely taken seriously by people who suffer from it.
Falling is not a natural part of aging. Medical research has shown that although many older people have conditions such as diabetes or Parkinson’s disease that contribute to loss of balance, many more have no such condition that would cause falls. Instead, they often have multiple smaller problems that interact to cause instability. Less serious conditions, like hypoglycemia and anemia, can interact to cause episodes of dizziness. The more risk factors a person has, the more likely he or she is to fall.
Doctors attempt to lower an elderly person’s chance of falling by reducing risk factors, and by modifying lifestyle. These modifications decrease medical costs for the patient and, more importantly, produces a positive psychological effect. Fear of falling and trauma related to episodes of dizziness often cause elderly people to reduce their activities, which leads to loss of strength, flexibility, and mobility. Ironically, this frailty increases their risk of future falls.
There are several tests available that evaluate patients with dizziness problems.
Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) tests equilibrium and balance control. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has agreed that CDP is an established test of postural stability that provides unique data for physicians to use in diagnosis. The test is painless and non-invasive. The patient stands on a platform; the doctor will ask the person to open and close his or her eyes periodically as the platform moves. In the event that the subject loses his or her balance, a harness prevents the fall. A computer collects data from the test for the doctor’s review.
An electronystagmography (ENG) test can help determine the location and origin of a balance disorder within the inner ear. During the ENG, a physician places electrodes on the patient’s face. The patient is asked to follow lights on a bar while he or she changes position and is subjected to temperature fluctuations. The doctor can determine if there is reduced response to stimulation in one or both ears, which will help pinpoint the cause of dizziness.
An audiogram is a hearing test often performed in conjunction with an ENG. A doctor will perform this test if ear disease or infection is the suspected reason for dizziness. This exam is noninvasive and painless. Pure tones of controlled, varying intensities are delivered to the subject while wearing headphones. The doctor charts the results on a graph to determine if an infection of the inner ear exists.
Medical experts suspect that determining the cause of accidental falls among the elderly will calm their fears of frequent and injurious dizzy spells. Linking lightheadedness to a certain medication, or to standing up too fast from a lying position, provides reasoning for a previously unexplained phenomenon. Once the cause is determined, the patient can make lifestyle adjustments to decrease the frequency of fainting spells.
References:
www.onbalance.com
www.homearts.com/gh/health/02arnob2.htm
www.southshoreneurologic.com/diagnostics/neurodiagnostics1.html
www.midwestear.com
