If you have been experiencing dizziness, vertigo, feeling unsteady or having trouble with your balance, your GP may have recommended seeing an audiologist for a balance or vestibular assessment.

If you have never had one before, you might be wondering what actually happens during the appointment.

Will it make you dizzy? Do you need to prepare? What will the audiologist be looking for?

While every assessment is a little different, a balance assessment is designed to look at how well your inner ear and balance system are working and whether they could be contributing to your symptoms.

Here is what you can generally expect when you visit Harmonic Hearing & Balance for a balance assessment.

Step 1: We chat about your symptoms

Your appointment will usually start with a chat about what you have been experiencing.

This is an important part of the assessment as we want to understand what your dizziness actually feels like and when it happens.

You may be asked questions like:

• When did your dizziness or vertigo start?
• Does it feel like spinning, rocking, swaying or light-headedness?
• How long does an episode usually last?
• What brings it on?

Don’t worry if you are not sure how to describe your symptoms. Your audiologist will guide you through the questions.

The pattern of your symptoms can provide some really useful clues about what might be happening.

Step 2: We check your hearing

Because the hearing and balance systems are closely connected within the inner ear, a hearing assessment is an important part of the balance test.

A change in hearing can sometimes provide important information when investigating dizziness and vertigo.

Step 3: We look at your eye movements

Your eyes and inner ears work together to help you stay balanced.

Your vestibular system detects movement of your head and sends information to your brain. Your brain then uses this information to help keep your eyes stable when your head moves.

During your assessment, your audiologist will look closely at how your eyes move.

Depending on the type of assessment, you may be asked to follow a target with your eyes, look in different directions or keep your eyes focused while your head is gently moved.

Our clinics use special video goggles to record eye movements. These goggles allow the audiologist to see and measure movements that may be difficult to see with the naked eye.

This can help us understand how different parts of your balance system are working.

Step 4: We check for positional vertigo

One of the most common causes of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV.

BPPV often causes a brief spinning sensation when you move your head in certain positions. If your symptoms sound like BPPV, your audiologist may perform specific positional tests.

You may be asked to move from sitting to lying down or turn your head in particular directions. These movements can temporarily bring on your usual dizziness.

Although this can feel uncomfortable, it is a controlled part of the assessment. Your audiologist will explain what is happening and monitor your symptoms and eye movements throughout the test.

Step 5: We may perform additional vestibular tests

Depending on your symptoms and your initial results, your audiologist may recommend additional vestibular testing.

There are several different tests that can be used to assess the balance system. The tests selected will depend on what your audiologist is trying to investigate.

Some tests involve moving your head, following visual targets or looking at how your eyes respond to different movements.

Some specialised tests can assess the function of particular parts of the inner ear balance system.

Not everyone needs every test, so don’t be surprised if your assessment is different from someone else’s.

Your audiologist will explain each test before you start and let you know what you can expect to feel.

Will the assessment make me dizzy?

Possibly.

Some parts of a vestibular assessment are specifically designed to challenge your balance system or reproduce your symptoms so that we can understand what is causing them.

This can sometimes make you feel temporarily dizzy, nauseous or unsteady.

Don’t worry, your audiologist will be there throughout the assessment, and you can take a break if you need one.

Most people find that any increased symptoms settle fairly quickly after testing.

How long does a balance assessment take?

The length of your appointment depends on the type of assessment you need.

When you book your appointment, our team will let you know how much time to allow and whether there are any specific instructions to follow beforehand.

What should I bring to my appointment?

If possible, bring a list of your current medications and any relevant medical or referral information.

It can also be helpful to think about your symptoms before your appointment. In particular, try to remember what triggers your dizziness, how long it lasts and whether you experience hearing changes, tinnitus or ear pressure.

You don’t need to have all the answers, that’s what the assessment is for.