Audiology - Audiology Service - Dizziness Assessment

Prior to attending your appointment, please stop taking alcohol or any medication for dizziness 48 hours before attending your face to face appointment.

What can I expect to happen at the appointment?

Your first appointment may be by telephone and will last about 30 minutes. You will receive a questionnaire with the appointment letter, please complete this before the call.

At this appointment we will ask you about your dizziness and other relevant medical history and go through the questionnaire. We will then offer you a face-to-face appointment in our clinic.

Please stop taking alcohol or any medication for dizziness for 48 hours before the face-to-face appointment. Your appointment in the clinic will last about one hour. During your appointment we will ask you about any relevant changes to your symptoms.

If you did not have a previous telephone call, please bring the completed questionnaire to the appointment with a list of your medications and we will ask you about your dizziness and other relevant medical history. We will then proceed with tests to look at your balance and possibly your hearing ability.

You will have an opportunity to ask any questions throughout the consultation and can ask to stop at any time. You may bring one other person to the appointment with you, and it is advisable not to drive immediately after the tests as you may feel a little unsteady.

What tests will be done?

You will have a range of tests which the practitioner will explain to you. This may include tests of hearing, eye movements, balance assessment and tests for dizziness in certain positions.

You may also have a test which involves wearing goggles to view your eye movements. This can help us measure your inner ear balance function. It is important that you do not wear any eye make up or false lashes for this test. All these tests will help the practitioner identify any ear related causes for your dizziness.

What causes balance problems?

There are nerves running from the balance organ in the inner ear to the balance control centre in the brain along with various other inputs from the body. When all these inputs co-ordinate, balance is maintained. If there is a difference in these inputs, it is possible to experience a sensation of unsteadiness, dizziness or vertigo.

What can be done to help?

In the vast majority of cases, the symptoms do improve with time, as the brain learns to cope with the changes that have taken place. However, depending on your symptoms, you may benefit from rehabilitation exercises or the Epley manoeuvre.

Rehabilitation exercises

If the brain fails to naturally recover from an episode of dizziness, simple exercises can be given which aim to improve your symptoms. These exercises may initially make your dizziness seem slightly worse, but if you continue with them your dizziness symptoms may gradually improve. If exercises are appropriate the practitioner will arrange a programme that is tailored to your particular problem.

The Epley manoeuvre

Sometimes dizziness can be experienced when moving in certain positions, such as when looking up or down, lying down or rolling over in bed. This can be caused by loose particles triggering the sense organ in the inner part of the ear. If this is the cause of your dizziness, a simple but effective manoeuvre of the head undertaken by the practitioner can correct the problem.

What happens next?

The practitioner will discuss any test results with you and the options you have. Depending on your results we may recommend further investigations. We do not undertake any treatment or arrange ongoing management without your informed consent.

The practitioner who referred you to the service will be informed of the outcome of your appointment.
 
If you have any questions about this appointment, please contact the Audiology Department on the number on the back of this leaflet.

Scan the QR code below to find more information on our website:

Additional information:

• We accept calls from Relay formally known as Type talk
• Please contact the department in advance if an interpreter is required
• We are an accredited training centre, and it is possible that a student may undertake some aspects of the appointment under supervision
• There is limited availability for parking
• If you would like any further information or have any special requirements, please contact the department using the details above

Contact Us

Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale
Audiology Department, Floor One, Nye Bevan House, Maclure Road, Rochdale, OL11 1DN

Bury
Audiology Department, Radcliffe Primary Care, 69 Church Street West, Radcliffe, Manchester, M26 2SP

Oldham
Audiology Department, 4th Floor, Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street, Oldham, OL1 1NL

Telephone: 01706 674913
Fax: 02070 198251
Email: NESaudiology@nca.nhs.uk
Website: www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk

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