Articles

Living with a vestibular disorder can sometimes make you feel like your life is upside down, literally and figuratively. You may feel lost and alone, like no one understands what you are going through. Treatments offered by healthcare professionals may only be provide limited relief. VeDA’s resources can help you become your own healthcare advocate. Learn more about coping strategies, psychological support, and complementary and alternative treatment options. Support groups are available for both patients and their loved ones. Reading about the experiences of others who are also struggling with vestibular dysfunction can help you feel less alone. Vestibular disorders are life-altering. However, VeDA’s tools can help you learn to adapt and discover a life rebalanced.

The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that help control balance and eye movements. If the system is damaged by disease, aging, or injury, vestibular disorders can result, and are often associated with one or more of these symptoms, among others:

– Dizziness
– Imbalance
– Vertigo
– Tinnitus
– Hearing loss
– Brain fog
– Vision impairment
– Cognitive changes

And more…

Good balance is often taken for granted. Most people don’t find it difficult to walk across a gravel driveway, transition from walking on a sidewalk to grass, or get out of bed in the middle of the night without stumbling. However, with impaired balance such activities can be extremely fatiguing and sometimes dangerous. Symptoms that accompany the unsteadiness can include dizziness, vertigo, hearing and vision problems, and difficulty with concentration and memory.

EXPLORE VESTIBULAR DISORDERS & SYMPTOMS The Glossary The Glossary provides definitions and information about terms you may come across in your research on vestibular disorders. You can use this resource to search for specific terms

It is common knowledge that seniors are at a higher risk for falls, but did you know that anyone – even teens – can suffer a devastating fall as a result of vestibular dysfunction?

Whether you’re writing a social media post or letter to the editor or creating a peer-to-peer fundraising page, these communication templates make it easy.

Explains the link between the vestibular system and vision, describing the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in detail with information on evaluation, treatment, and coping strategies. Details the special considerations required for vision correction, including glasses and contact lenses.

To maintain balance and navigate space in our physical world, we must organize and integrate information from the visual (eyes), proprioceptive (information perceived through our muscles and joints to tell us where we are in space) and vestibular (inner ears sensing motion, equilibrium and spatial awareness) systems.

Visual sensitivity from vestibular disorders can be exaggerated when a person uses a computer monitor or watches television.

Cataract surgery can cause a dramatic change in the way a person visually experiences their world, and most of the time the effect is positive. However, if the brain is used to seeing the world from a certain perspective, and that perspective has suddenly been shifted, the disruption in the visual system can in turn cause sensory incoherence with the visual-vestibular connection.

A “Clinical Observations” column of VeDA’s member newsletter, “On the Level.” Discusses visual preference developed resulting from vestibular dysfunction, and provides suggestions for treating it.

An ambassador is an enthusiastic and dedicated vestibular patient or professional, or the family member of a vestibular patient, who is interested in sharing his or her time and expertise to help elevate awareness for vestibular disorders. As an ambassador you are passionate about our cause and committed to keeping abreast of new, relevant issues that may impact the vestibular community.