Balance changes sneak up on people. One morning you reach for the counter without thinking about it, and a month later you realize you've been reaching every time. September's Balance Awareness Week is a natural time to take stock. If getting up from the couch, walking down the front steps, or turning quickly in the kitchen has started to feel less certain, pay attention before a fall makes the decision for you.
Signs It's Time to Ask For Help
Occasional wobble on uneven pavement is normal. What isn't normal is a pattern.
Watch for dizziness that lasts more than a few seconds when you stand up, a spinning sensation when you roll over in bed, or a sense that the floor is tilting. Trouble walking in the dark or on stairs, needing to touch walls to stay steady down a hallway, and increasing hesitation at curbs all count. If you've had one fall in the past year, your odds of another one this year go up sharply.
Hearing changes deserve mention too. The inner ear handles both hearing and balance, so new ringing, muffled sound, or ear fullness paired with dizziness may point to a vestibular problem worth checking out.
Who Balance Specialists Are
A balance specialist is usually one of several trained professionals. Otolaryngologists (ENTs) with vestibular expertise handle inner-ear disorders. Neurologists rule out brain-related causes. Vestibular physiotherapists design exercise programs to retrain the balance system.
You don't need to sort out who to see first. Start with your family doctor and ask specifically for a balance assessment. In Toronto, referrals often go to hospital-based vestibular clinics or to physiotherapists with post-graduate vestibular training. Sunnybrook and Toronto General both have dizziness clinics.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada has a good primer on staying active safely as you age, including balance-focused movement.
What to Expect at the Appointment
Bring your medication list. Several common prescriptions worsen balance, including some blood-pressure drugs and sleep aids. Bring shoes you actually walk in. Bring a family member who's watched you move around the house.
The assessment usually starts with questions about when the trouble happens, how long it lasts, and what triggers it. Physical tests follow: standing with your eyes closed, walking heel-to-toe, turning your head while focused on a point. Some clinics use video-goggle equipment to record eye movements during positional changes. It looks strange and takes about an hour, but it's painless.
Treatment depends on the cause. Benign positional vertigo often clears in a single session using the Epley manoeuvre. Vestibular rehab involves specific exercises done at home for six to eight weeks. Medication adjustments, hearing aids, or a cane may also be part of the plan. Most people improve substantially.
Don't wait for a broken hip to force the appointment. Ask now.
Staying Steady on Your Feet Across Toronto
Balance problems have many possible causes, and earlier assessment can help identify what you're dealing with and what kind of support makes sense. Getting to the right appointment can also mean coordinating rides, forms, and follow-ups.
Senior Helpers Mid-Town Toronto works with older adults right across Toronto to arrange transportation, provide companionship at appointments, and help with the daily exercises a physiotherapist recommends. If you're wondering whether it's time to ask about balance, please contact us, and we'll help you plan the next step.