Balance Problems

Diagnosis

At Mayo Clinic, diagnosis of a balance problem begins with a thorough review of your medical history and a physical exam. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following inner ear (vestibular) and balance tests to determine the cause of your problem.

These tests are all performed on the Mayo Clinic campuses. Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Arizona are among only a few medical centers in the country to offer the latest diagnostic testing in state-of-the-art vestibular/balance laboratories.

Posturography test

Rotary chair test

• Hearing tests. These tests determine whether balance disorders and dizziness are caused by problems in your inner ear.
• Posturography test. A posturography test indicates which parts of your balance system (visual, vestibular or somatosensory) you rely on most.
• Electronystagmograph test. This test analyzes eye movements to check how well your inner ear balance mechanism works.
• Rotary-chair test. This test analyzes eye movements while you're seated in a computer-controlled chair that moves slowly in a circle.
• Dix-Hallpike test. Your doctor carefully turns your head in different positions while watching your eye movements to determine if you have a false sense of motion or spinning.
• Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials test. Sensor pads with wires (electrodes) are attached to your neck, shoulders and forehead to measure tiny changes in muscle contractions in reaction to sounds.
• Other tests. Your doctor may also recommend MRI or CT scans or blood and heart function tests.