If dizziness is disrupting your life, there's a reason. Let's find it.
Dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems are among the most common reasons people visit their doctor, and among the most frequently misdiagnosed. If you've been told it's stress, aging, or something to just live with, we'd like to take another look.
The inner ear's vestibular system is your primary organ of balance. When something goes wrong with it, dizziness and imbalance follow. Hearing & Balance Specialists of Kansas City is one of the few specialty clinics in the region with a specific focus on these disorders.
A Few of the Conditions We Evaluate
BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
The most common cause of dizziness is also one of the most treatable. Caused by a change in the inner ear's perception of gravity, the disorder leads to brief spinning sensations when changing position.
Vestibular Neuritis
An intense attack of vertigo that can last from hours to days, caused by a viral infection of the vestibular nerve. This can cause permanent inner ear damage, but getting the right diagnosis means we can finally fix those stubborn, ongoing issues and prevent lasting harm.
Labyrinthitis
Like vestibular neuritis, but it involves the inner ear itself and causes hearing loss on the affected side.
Meniere's Disease
A condition that causes ringing in the ears, ear pressure, and hearing changes, along with attacks of intense dizziness that can last from 30 minutes to 24 hours. These symptoms come and go in waves, but they can be managed with the right care.
Vestibular Migraine
Migraines are caused by a disruption in blood flow and the way neurons are firing in the brain. Although typically characterized by intense headache, sensitivity to light and sound, and nausea, migraines can also cause dizziness and vertigo. Migraines are also highly associated with inner ear disorders. If an accurate diagnosis is made, this condition is often very treatable.
Imbalance
Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths in the elderly. Unfortunately, 1 in 3 people over the age of 70 will fall each year. Often a fall will result in serious injury including head trauma, a broken hip, etc. Feeling off balance and having a fear of falling can also cause an individual to avoid their regular activities and become socially isolated. If you have fallen or have a fear of falling, you should highly consider a formal evaluation with a specialist in equilibrium disorders. Falls can often be prevented once a cause is accurately identified.
Why Hearing & Balance Specialists of KC?
We not only have the most experience in vestibular evaluations in the region, but we also have state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment that most general practices don't have access to. We identify the cause, build a specific plan, and when physical therapy is needed, our vestibular therapist is right here.
