A complex system controls your body’s ability to balance. While it is often taken for granted, your body’s balancing system is sensitive. Your sight, hearing and other sensory systems help to regulate your balance. All of these systems must work together in order for your body to maintain its balance. Diagnosing a balance issue is often difficult because so many parts of your body are involved. For balance issues not treatable by medication or surgery, balance rehabilitation is available.
Vestibular
The vestibular system, located in your ears, is primarily responsible for your body’s ability to balance. The vestibular system is made up of the utricle, the saccule and three semicircular ear canals. The utricle and saccule focus on head movement. Fluid and hairs in the canals help detect a variety of body movements. Nerves then send this information to your brain.
Vision
Your vision plays a major role in helping you maintain your balance. When light strikes receptors in your retina, signals are sent to your brain to help you with visual orientation. Those who suffer from balance issues should be tested for any vision problems, such as the involuntary eye movement associated with a nystagmus. This is especially true in older people, as cataract surgery can lead to complaints of balance issues.
Touch
Your skin, muscles and joints play a crucial role in balancing the body. The sensors in your limbs send signals to your brain any time movement is detected. This helps you maintain balance while walking and other forms of body movement. Your touch system especially is useful in maintaining balance while engaging in sports and other activities that involve a great deal of movement. For example, your ankles tell your brain what kind of surface your body is standing on in order to regulate balance. Sensors in your neck detect head position.
Balance Issues
When your body’s balance system is not functioning properly, it can cause a host of health issues, including vertigo, dizziness, vision complaints and gait problems. Your aural history plays a big role in diagnosing balance issues, so make sure to keep track of your symptoms. Not all balance problems have a specific reason and often are treated with rehabilitation that focuses on retraining the body’s balancing signals.
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Writer Bio
Joy Johnston has been an online journalist since 2005. She has served as senior producer for the health news website Sharecare and as a digital producer for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," where she helped develop the health channel. Johnston has also covered ways to stay fit in Atlanta.
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