Julie Raney is a certified and licensed audiologist. She has a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Audiology from Idaho State University. She has worked as a clinical audiologist in Colorado since 2005. She specializes in hearing amplification for adults and delivers her services in both English and Sign Language.

Understanding the Balance System

Balance is a quickly reflexive loop between the brain and the sensory organs. The brain collects information about the environment from the body and then sends signals back to the body to instruct it how to move and respond. Three main systems are responsible for sending sensory information to the brain that is used to maintain balance. First, the skin, joints, and muscles are used to sense the surroundings. Second, the eyes scan the horizon for changes in motion and relationships. Finally, and quite importantly, the ears are sensitive to constant changes in pressure that can inform the balancing process.

Let’s take the skin, joints, and muscles first. These body parts are an intricate web of sensation, using the nerves to gather information from the world about many things ranging from temperature, pressure, and humidity to changes in elevation. Take, for instance, the last time you lost your balance while walking. Something about the experience of the skin, joints, and muscles alerted the brain to a rapid change in the environment, and the brain had to quickly respond with instructions to those same body parts in how to avoid a fall. Those with balance disorders will understand what makes that process so fragile. Conditions such as vertigo or ataxia can impair the ability to remain upright without dizziness.

The eyes are another essential piece of the balancing puzzle. While scanning the horizon, the eyes understand relationships between different parts of the body and the gravitational force of the earth. Knowing where the ground level exists will be crucial to the brain’s ability to remain in touch with the earth. Quick movements of the body also require the eyes to be responsive. For instance a quick turn of the head can lead to blurry vision if the eyes are not prepared to take in such a rapid inundation of sensory information.

Your Ears and Balance

Beyond the skin, joints, muscles, and eyes, the ears are a crucial body part in the process of balancing. Specifically, the vestibular system is located in the inner ear with the ability to sense changes in the level of the head. This fluid-filled system uses tiny hairs to sense the level of the head relative to gravity. When fluid touches some of these hairs, the vestibular system becomes aware of a change in the orientation of the head. Shaking the head, nodding, or putting the head below the center of gravity moves around the fluid in the vestibular system in ways that make complicated the relationship between the body and space. When it works properly, the cerebellum is able to use that information, in coordination with the other sensory organs, to make sense of the body’s orientation to the earth, maintaining a sense of balance. However vestibular disorders such as neuritis, labyrinthitis, or migraine can impair the system’s ability to orient in space. Similarly, Ménière’s disease can damage the ears with pressure or tinnitus in ways that make balance impossible.

Although balance requires the ears to be able to orient to the earth’s gravity, there are things you can do to solve disequilibrium. If you have trouble balancing or experience dizziness, you can certainly seek out help from a neurologist or general practitioner.

New Leaf Hearing Center

If you’ve experienced changes in your hearing, it is important to take a hearing test as soon as possible. At New Leaf Hearing Center, we provide comprehensive hearing health services and are here to support you on your journey to better hearing.