How's Your Balance?

Dizziness is among the top three reasons adults visit their doctors. Nearly 36% of adults over the age of 40 suffer from chronic dizziness, vertigo, or loss of balance. About 30% of adults over the age of 60 suffer chronic dizziness. Inner ear dysfunction is a leading cause of dizziness and vertigo. At Bridgewater, we provide comprehensive vestibular testing to determine if dizziness and/or balance issues are present due to vestibular pathology.

Electrocochleography (EcochG): Test for Meniere's disease

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP): Assists the physician in determining if there is dysfunction of the saccule or inferior vestibular nerve

Videonystagmography Testing (VNG): Assists the physician in determining if the patient's dizziness is cause by inner ear dysfunction, BPPV, or central pathology

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): identifies abnormalities of the auditory neural pathways through the level of the brainstem such as an acoustic neuroma. We also utilize ABR to determine hearing levels in infants and difficult to test patients

(Bridgewater is a provider for all major insurances including Medicare and Tenncare.)

Vestibublar Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP)

What is a VEMP? The VEMP test measures a response from the inner ear that is generated by a sound. It is used in balance testing to evaluate saccule function and the integrity of the inferior vestibular nerve. A VEMP recording does not require that the patient have measurable hearing.

What symptoms indicate VEMP testing?

• Imbalance
• Dizziness
• Bouncing vision
• Dizziness to loud sounds
• Sound or pressure induced eye movements
• Sudden sensori-neural hearing loss

How is the test performed? The patient is seated comfortably and surface electrodes are taped on the sternum and the neck muscles. The patient turns their head to contract the neck muscles. A loud tone is presented to the ear of the neck muscle being activated. The response is recorded and analyzed. The evaluation typically is completed in thirty minutes.

Medication does not affect the VEMP response. Please continue to take your medication.

Please do not hesitate to contact Bridgewater at anytime if you have questions or concerns (865-769-0283). We look forward to meeting you!