Feeling that the room turns or that the ground is unstable is an unpleasant sensation that, in addition to causing dizziness, stunning or nausea, can increase the risk of falls. An occasional dizziness episode is usually not alarm since in many cases, the cause is simple, such as getting up too quickly.
“The imbalance can have multiple causes,” says the Dr. Kenny Linotolaryngologist at Houston Methodist hospital, specializing in balance disorders related to internal ear. “Some causes are more worrying than others, but it is essential to identify when there is an underlying condition that requires medical attention.”
“However, if when you turn in bed you feel that everything turns, or if you suffer intense dizziness that last several hours, it is important to go to the doctor,” warns Dr. Lin.
What originates balance problems
Many times it is difficult to identify the exact cause, since they can intervene various factors. Balance problems can be related to alterations in the internal ear; the vision; the musculoskeletal system; Blood circulation or brain
He vertigo It is a specific type of dizziness that generates the feeling that everything turns around you, even when you are still. The most common cause is the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (VPPB), also known as “crystals in the ear.”
“The VPPB occurs when small crystals in the inner ear, which help perceive gravity changes, detach and float freely,” explains Dr. Lin. “If these crystals move towards a wrong area of the ear, they cause a strong feeling of turns or somersaults.”
Other internal ear conditions that can affect equilibrium include viral infections, such as laberintitisand the Ménière’s diseasewhich is produced by changes in the pressure of the ear fluid. Although they are less frequent than VPPB, they can also cause significant symptoms.
Los muscle problems o joints that affect balance are more common in older adults or in people who have undergone joint replacement surgery. “This is because the reflexes become slower and the muscles or joints lose strength,” says Dr. Lin. “As for the vision, just close your eyes when walking to realize how important the view is to maintain balance.”
A classic example of the role of circulation in balance is Orthostatic hypotension: A temporary fall in blood pressure when standing quickly, which can cause dizziness for a few seconds. Likewise, a brain shock can affect balance, since it is a mild lesion in the brain.
“During the recovery of a shock, it is common for the patient to experience dizziness and nausea,” adds Dr. Lin. “This happens because the brain has difficulty processing what happens around it.”
In some cases, it is not possible to determine exactly the cause of the imbalance. Dr. Lin refers to these cases as part of the “nebula category” of balance disorders, recognizing how frustrating it may not have a clear diagnosis.
Exercises to gain balance
El Dr. ElgeadHead of the Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Service of the Quirónsalud San José and Quirónsalud Valle del Henares hospitals explains that the balance is made up of three systems: the visual, the vestibular and the proprioceptive, in charge of the receptors at the articular level. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the function of these three systems through vestibular exercises pawed daily in a period of two months. Among the exercises to avoid these equilibrium problems, the doctor recommends:
- Walk on heels raising the fingers of the feet and keeping the right legs without locking his knees, always looking at the front and varying the course every 10 steps.
- The balancing on one leg keeping a straight posture, flexing the other knee with the leg high a few centimeters. Keep the position for 10 seconds and then change legs.
- Place the feet separated performing balancing movements side by side, in front behind and finally in circle.
- Gather your feet for 20 seconds with your eyes open and repeat the same with your eyes closed.
- Walk up forward and then back. First with open eyes and then with closed eyes when the above is easier.
- Sit in a chair and bend down to take a ball from the floor. Join again and repeat ten times.
Despite the demand of these exercises, Dr. Elgeadi insists that “this type of rehabilitation requires constancy and it is possible that the symptoms worsen in a timely manner because the vestibular system is working to adapt and therefore essential to follow the indications of the physiotherapist.”
