“The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you’ve lost it.” – Sally Rose
Welcome to National Balance Awareness Month! We at 360 Balance & Dizziness are here to help with all your balance needs. If you’re struggling with your balance, have had a fall or near fall, feel dizzy, or have been diagnosed with inner ear dysfunction, we can help you!
Your sense of balance is the product of three systems working together: your sense of sight, your sense of touch, and your vestibular system (the inner ear). If you become more reliant on one system of balance over another, your overall balance will suffer as a result.
- Sense of sight – Your eyes play a major role in your balance. Your brain will look at stationary objects to judge where your body is in space related to those objects. If your eyesight is changing, or you’re trying to do something at night, your sense of sight won’t be as reliable.
- Sense of touch – Your sense of touch includes the touch through your feet on the ground or your hand on the railing and your proprioception. Proprioception is the awareness of body posture that is derived from receptors in your joints. Peripheral neuropathy or joint replacements can inhibit your sense of touch.
- Vestibular system – Your inner ear controls your vestibular system, which helps with aspects of balance such as changing head position and the effects of gravity on the body. Both chronic and acute inner ear dysfunction can disrupt your vestibular system.
There are countless factors that will affect balance secondary to your systems of balance. Humans are not constant creatures, we tend to fluctuate from day to day. Think of your energy levels, are they consistently high or low? More likely you have some days where you feel more awake and energized than others. Balance is the same way. Being tired, suffering from allergies, and feeling stressed can all cause your balance to be less reliable.
If you feel like your balance isn’t as strong as it used to be, you’ve had a fall or near fall, or suffer from any of the symptoms or diagnoses listed here, we would love the chance to help you start or continue your path to wellness at 360 Balance & Dizziness!
Rose, S. (2014) The Key to Keeping Your Balance is Knowing When You’ve Lost it. The British Journal of Psychotherapy Integration 11(1), 29-41.