problems with balance?

Question

my partner has problems with his balance.

When he walks on the street, he walks like his legs are too heavy for him.

he has had his ears syringed.

I am going to put warm olive oil in his ears later.

Sometime he will lean towards a brick wall.

He has been referred to the ear nose and throat hospital.

He has no other complaints, no headaches, dizziness.

Has this happened to anyone on there, what was the result?

What will happen at the ENT hospital?

My partner does not drink. So no stupid remarks!

It is quite serious!

I want to say thank you to the people that have answers so far.... it helps to know that the problem my partner has is common.

I am eternally grateful.

Answer 1

I would leave the olive oil until he has been checked out. Sounds like an inner ear problem and that will be tested for at the ENT appointment. Most of these problems get sorted out without any bother. My daughter had a similar problem and after anti-biotics and physiotherapy it hasn't returned.

Answer 2

did this start only fairly recently? If so, then he has an infection in his inner ear which is a common cause of balance loss, so get that checked out quickly.,
If this is a long-term thing then this is obviously something for the ENT to check but it is most likely to be a simple infection which can be cleared up with antibiotics.
I had this myself last year, very very odd and very disturbing. Everyone thought I was drunk but I wasn't - honest!

Answer 3

It sounds like he has an inner ear problem. The hospital will run a battery of tests to determine what's causing the problem, then make recommendations for treatment, from there.
I suggest leaving his ears alone, until he gets treatment. The olive oil will do no good and could actually cause more problems than it would solve.

Answer 4

Cervical spondylosis can also cause loss of balance.
Benign positional vertigo is the most common cause of vertigo. It is caused by a disturbance within the balance organs of the inner ear. The inner ear has tiny stones that move as you change position, allowing your brain to interpret your body's position and maintain your balance. In benign positional vertigo, these stones break off and float free within the semicircular canals of the inner ear. This may happen in one ear more than another, sending the brain confusing messages about your body's position. The result is vertigo.

Answer 5

Vertigo: The Sort Of Problems That Cause Balance Disorders
Three sensory systems primarily govern our balance. These are the visual system, dependent on the eyes, the inner ear (or vestibular) system, and the general system of sensory experiences, run by joint, muscle, and skin position sensors.

The brain is constantly fed information about our position in the space we occupy by these three systems. The brain processes this vital information in order to adjust the position of our limbs accordingly. In most cases, this happens sub-consciously and we are not aware of the incredibly subtle changes that go on within us.

When we experience Vertigo, which is the sensation of movement that is not actually happening, it can often be attributed to one or more of these sensory systems failing, or the brain failing to processes the data properly (which I discuss later). Firstly, the three sensory systems and how they can cause balance disorders, or Vertigo:

Visual

The eyes give the brain clues about where we are in the environment that we are occupying. They tell it where the body is pointing, and direction it is travelling in. One theory about sea sickness is that while the eyes see steady surroundings, like a cabin, the ears can sense movement, and this causes confusion in the brain. Disorders of the visual system, such as glaucoma and cataracts, can cause systems of Vertigo and balance disorders.

Inner Ear

The structure of the inner ear is somewhat like a ‘level’ tool used in carpentry. It measures movement, both rotational and linear. There are a number of disorders of the inner ear that can cause balance disorders: ear infections, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Meniere syndrome are common ones.

General Sensory System

There are sensors in the skin, muscles, and joints that detect motion, position and pressure. They provide subtle but important information to the brain that allow us to shift balance, and compensate where necessary to maintain balance. Any disorder in the general sensory system can create problems for the brain in determining where to shift weight to in the body.

Brain

As the brain processes information from the sensory systems explained above, any malfunction of the brain can lead to balance disorders. Problems that occur with the brain or Central Nervous System include strokes, tumors, head trauma, dementia or other degeneration, and migraines.

Sometimes the brain does not get a sufficient flow of blood, and this is common in elderly people. This can cause dizziness, especially when getting up from a seated position.

The body’s balance system depends on a number of functions working well. There are many different causes for vertigo and balance problems, but research in this area has shown that most sufferers’ root causes can be identified and thus a program of treatment employed.

About the Author: Beth McGrath runs an information and support website for people looking for a vertigo cure or remedy. There is also a new forum for vertigo sufferers. See http://www.vertigoremedy.com

Answer 6

my mom had an inner ear infection..she would walk through a room and fall over to he left side.
she didn't have fever or feel ill.

Answer 7

try keeping him off the booze for starters