VALLEY ENT ASSOCIATES
Balance Testing
EXPERT
ent SPECIALISTS
expert ent care
Balance Testing
Dizziness, vertigo, and unsteadiness can stem from a wide range of causes — many of which share overlapping symptoms, making an accurate diagnosis essential to effective treatment. At Valley ENT, our audiologists use a comprehensive battery of diagnostic balance tests to pinpoint the source of your symptoms and build a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.
Maintaining balance depends on coordinated information from the inner ears, eyes, muscles, joints and brain. When one part of this system is not working properly, patients may experience spinning, unsteadiness, motion sensitivity or falls. Audiologic balance testing provides objective information that helps the care team identify possible vestibular involvement and plan appropriate next steps. Depending on your symptoms and history, your evaluation may include one or more of the following tests:
Electronystagmography (ENG) / Videonystagmography (VNG)
These tests measure eye movements — using electrodes or a video-equipped headset — to assess how well the inner ear and central nervous system are working together. Because eye movement is closely tied to the vestibular system, abnormal patterns can help pinpoint the source of dizziness.
Rotary Chair Testing
While seated in a specialized rotating chair, your eye movements are recorded in response to controlled head motion, helping determine whether your symptoms stem from an inner ear issue or a central nervous system disorder.
Computerized Dynamic Posturography (Posturography)
This test measures how well your vision, vestibular system, and sense of body position (proprioception) work together to maintain balance. You’ll stand on a specialized platform while your balance is assessed under different visual and movement conditions.
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
This test measures the response of tiny hair cells in the inner ear to sound, helping identify conductive or cochlear hearing loss that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Testing is selected according to the patient’s symptoms and may include hearing measures, eye-movement recording, positional testing or tests that stimulate and measure the vestibular system. Because the eyes and inner ears work closely together to maintain balance, specialized equipment can record eye responses during different tasks.
Balance testing is noninvasive and generally painless, though certain portions — such as those involving temperature or motion stimulation — may cause brief, temporary dizziness. A full evaluation can take anywhere from under an hour to several hours depending on which tests are needed, and in some cases may be completed across more than one visit.
It’s normal for some results to come back within normal limits — this is still valuable diagnostic information and helps guide your care team toward the right next steps, which may include additional imaging, referral to a specialist, or a personalized treatment plan. If dizziness, vertigo, or unsteadiness is affecting your daily life, don’t wait to get answers. Schedule a consultation with Valley ENT today to begin your balance evaluation.
More Than a treatment:
A Step Toward Lasting Relief
Conditions Treated:
Dizziness
Vertigo or a spinning sensation
Unsteadiness or imbalance
Motion sensitivity
Unexplained falls
Symptoms triggered by head or position changes
Suspected inner ear or vestibular dysfunction
Balance symptoms associated with hearing changes or tinnitus
Ménière’s disease and other vestibular conditions
what are The benefits?
Evaluates whether the inner ear may be contributing to symptoms
Measures different parts of the vestibular system
Helps distinguish vestibular findings from other possible causes
Provides objective information to support diagnosis
Guides referrals, vestibular rehabilitation or additional testing
Helps the care team create a more focused treatment plan
Establishes baseline information for monitoring changes
Audiology Expertise You Can Trust
Our ENT physicians are medical doctors (MDs/DOs) with advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of complex ear disorders, including infections, tumors, balance issues, and underlying medical conditions that can affect hearing. We don’t just fit devices, we evaluate and treat the root causes of your hearing loss as part of your overall health.
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We are the region’s leading practice for full service ENT care, recognized for clinical excellence, compassionate relationships, innovative treatment options, and a patient experience built on trust rather than transaction.
