Balance issues happen when something affects the connection between your central nervous system and your brain that keeps you feeling steady on your feet. Balance issues may be symptoms of certain medical conditions. Healthcare providers treat balance issues by managing any underlying medical conditions and with vestibular rehabilitation therapy created to ease balance issue symptoms.
Your sense of balance helps you stay upright and feel stable as you navigate your way through your day. Your sense of balance relies on a steady flow of information among your ears, eyes, tissues and brain. When something disrupts that flow of information, you lose your sense of balance. Balance issues may be symptoms of certain medical conditions. Healthcare providers treat balance issues by managing the underlying medical condition. You might also need physical therapy.
Your sense of balance relies on the relationship between your central nervous system (brain) and your sensory system. Your sensory system includes:
Your central nervous system pulls this information together so it can tell your body how to maintain balance. When something interferes with the system’s connection, your central nervous system can’t process information correctly and you feel unsteady.
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Balance issues cause several symptoms linked to underlying medical conditions or other issues. Balance issue symptoms include:
Many things can affect your sense of balance. Many people develop a balance issue as they grow older. But you can develop balance issues at any age. Inner ear disorders, head injuries and neurological conditions may affect your sense of balance.
Inner ear disorders
Other medical conditions
Balance issues may be a symptom of several different medical conditions:
Healthcare providers diagnose balance problems with a physical exam. They’ll ask about your symptoms and medical history. They’ll probably use several kinds of tests included in a vestibular test battery:
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Healthcare providers treat balance issues by managing the cause. They may recommend vestibular rehabilitation therapy, a special form of physical therapy that involves exercises and techniques that may help you to manage your balance issues.
Because many different things cause balance issues, it’s not possible to prevent some of them. Talk to a healthcare provider about your balance issues. They may be symptoms of underlying conditions that require treatment.
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Your healthcare provider is your best resource of information about what you can expect. If you have a medical condition that causes balance issues, your providers will treat that condition. You may also need therapy to learn ways to manage your balance issues. It may take some time for treatment and therapy to make a difference.
Knowing why you have balance issues is the first step toward getting better. Here are some suggestions that may help you manage your balance issues:
Contact your healthcare provider if your balance issues get worse after treatment.
Balance issues happen for many different reasons. Here are some questions that may help you understand your balance issues and what can be done to resolve them:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Most people have experienced losing their balance. But ongoing balance issues may be symptoms of underlying medical conditions. It can be disorienting and sometimes frightening to lose your sense of balance. Balance issues can affect your quality of life. If you’re concerned about your sense of balance, talk to a healthcare provider.
Last reviewed on 11/16/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy