Balance and Vestibular Conditions

Who Is affected?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Falls can lead to moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can even increase the risk of early death. Fortunately, falls are a public health problem that is largely preventable.

Inner Ear Conditions

Research – as stated by Consumer Reports^® – indicates that 1 in 3 adults over age 40 had signs of inner-ear dysfunction. This translates to 69 million people nationwide. Nearly a third of the people in this group (more than 22 million people) were unaware of their balance problems, as they’d had no symptoms suggesting anything was wrong. These people were three times more likely to have a serious fall than those with a healthy sense of balance. The risk of falls was 12 times higher among those with inner-ear problems who’d experienced dizziness or other symptoms.

Prevention

Preventing falls, particularly those due to inner ear and balance conditions, begins with early and proper diagnosis followed by treatment which may include medications, lifestyle modifications and/or physical therapy.

All of these options are offered by the vestibular conditions specialists at Lake ENT, proudly serving Leesburg, Tavares and the Villages^®.