Balance Assessment
These tests of balance are usualy performed when an individual is experiencing dizziness or some difficulty with their balance.
Calorics
Videonystagmography (VNG)
Special Conditions VNG/Calorics: The individual must not consume alcohol or on advice of their prescribing doctor, medication for dizziness 24 hours before the test. After testing, it is advisable to have someone to drive the individual home.
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potenbtial (VEMP)
The Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) is a short latency EMG (eletromyographic) response evoked at high level acoustic stimulation and recorded from surface leads over the contracted sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle on the neck.
The VEMP assesses the saccule and inferior vestibular nerve which other tests do not assess.
Static Posturography
The human postural control relies on the gravity detection ability of the vestibular system and the spinal reflexes to balance the body over the relatively small base of support provided by the feet.
When the integrity of the information to the central nervous system (CNS) is compromised or the CNS itself is compromised, the ability to stay ballanced is reduced.
Static Posturography provides an objective measure of postural control.
Vertitest
Subjective verticality as measured by the Vertitest is considered a test of utricular function.
During this test, the individual stands in a completely darkened room.
The individual is asked to adjust a laser bar so that it is positioned vertically (i.e., perpendicular to the floor).
Many individuals tilt the bar toward the inner ear that is involved in utricular dysfunction.
This is because their eyes are rotated toward the side with the problem and these individuals perceive the world as tilted to that side.
