Feeling dizzy or unsteady can be frightening, and it can quietly take over the things you’d normally do without a second thought. What many people don’t realise is that the balance system sits deep in the inner ear, right alongside the parts that let you hear. That’s why an audiologist is often the right person to help you get to the bottom of it.
Book A Balance AssessmentDizziness and poor balance can have many causes, and the inner ear is one of the most common. It might feel like the room is spinning, or like you’re never quite steady on your feet. However it shows up for you, the first step is understanding what’s behind it, and that’s what a balance assessment is for.
Your appointment is with Peter, our vestibular audiologist, and lasts two hours, so there’s time to do it properly. He starts with a full history of your symptoms, when they tend to happen and how they’re affecting your day to day life. That conversation is the foundation for everything that follows. Peter then carries out a thorough assessment, including a full hearing check, because the health of your inner ear can point to certain balance disorders. If it would help, he’ll put together a vestibular rehabilitation plan built around you, a set of gentle exercises designed to settle your symptoms over time.
Some people come to us already knowing what’s wrong, perhaps after seeing their GP or an ENT specialist. Two of the most common diagnoses are Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and Ménière’s disease, both of which can be ongoing and genuinely wearing to live with.
With BPPV, when your symptoms are present Peter can carry out repositioning manoeuvres, gentle guided movements of the head that ease the vertigo. Research shows these work for just under 80% of people with typical BPPV after a single treatment, and Peter has treated many clients this way during his years in the NHS. A BPPV appointment lasts an hour.
With Ménière’s disease, a vestibular rehabilitation programme can make a real difference to how you feel day to day. Whatever your diagnosis, if dizziness or unsteadiness is affecting your life, there’s a good chance we can help. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll talk you through the right appointment for you.
Peter Lucas-Herald is one of our directors and our vestibular audiologist. He first studied biology at the University of Edinburgh, then went on to audiology at Queen Margaret University, followed by a master’s degree in which he researched vestibular testing methodology. He spent fifteen years as a clinical audiologist with NHS Lothian, with a particular focus on balance assessment throughout that time.
What stays with you when you meet Peter is how much he cares about this work. Balance problems can be genuinely debilitating, and he has a real passion for helping people regain their confidence and get back to the life they had before.
Balance assessments are with Peter at our Livingston and Edinburgh clinics.
Tell us a little about what you’ve been experiencing and which clinic suits you, and we’ll get back to you to confirm a time and answer anything you’re wondering about.
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