A balance disorder is a disturbance that causes an individual to feel unsteady, giddy, woozy, or have a sensation of movement, spinning, or floating. Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together. Specifically, in order to achieve balance, the eyes (visual system), ears (vestibular system) and the body's sense of where it is in space (proprioception) need to be intact. Also the brain, which compiles this information, needs to...
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A balance disorder is a disturbance that causes an individual to feel unsteady, giddy, woozy, or have a sensation of movement, spinning, or floating. Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together. Specifically, in order to achieve balance, the eyes (visual system), ears (vestibular system) and the body's sense of where it is in space (proprioception) need to be intact. Also the brain, which compiles this information, needs to be functioning normally.
The semicircular canals, found within the vestibular apparatus, let us know when we are in a rotary (circular) motion. The semicircular canals are fluid-filled. Motion of the fluid tells us if we are moving. The vestibule is the region of the inner ear where the semicircular canals converge, close to the cochlea (the hearing organ). The vestibular system works with the visual system to keep objects in focus when the head is moving. This is called the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR).
Movement of fluid in the semicircular...
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