As people grow older, they may have difficulty with their balance. Nearly 8 mil- lion American adults report having a chronic problem with balance. An additional 2.4 million American adults report having a chronic problem with dizziness alone. Good balance is im- portant to help you get around, stay independ- ent, and carry out daily activities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year. Among older adults, falls are the lead-ing cause of injury deaths
Having good balance means being able to control and maintain your body’s position, whether you are moving or remaining still. An intact sense of balance helps you
walk without staggering
get up from a chair without falling
climb stairs without tripping
Many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they get older. Disturbances of the inner ear are the main cause. People feel unsteady, or as if they were moving, spinning, or floating.
Vertigo, the feeling that you or the things around you are spinning, is also a common symptom.
Balance disorders are one reason older people fall. Falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fracture, can have a serious impact on an older person’s life. If you fall, it could limit your activities or make it impossible to live independently. Many people often become more isolated after a fall.
There are many types of balance disorders. One of the
most common is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV. With BPPV, you experience a brief, intense feeling of vertigo that occurs when you change the posi-
tion of your head.
BRING HEALTH HOME …
You may also experience BPPV when rolling over to the left or right, upon get- ting out of bed in the morn- ing, or when looking up for an object on a high or low shelf. BPPV is more likely to occur in adults ages 60 and older, but can also occur in younger people
In BPPV, small calcium stones in the inner ear become displaced, caus- ing a person to feel dizzy. The reason they become displaced is not known, although it may be caused by an inner ear infection, head injury, or aging
There are many ways to treat balance disorders. Treatments will vary de- pending on the cause. See your doctor if you are experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or other problems with your balance.
