Author Topic: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies  (Read 5009 times)

Chances3

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Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« on: July 13, 2012, 12:34:43 pm »
I found this link here a few years ago.  I thought it would be a good time for the new AN community to read it. 

http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/balancesystem.htm


kixit

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Re: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2012, 05:07:16 pm »
Thanks for posting this! I am still having balance issues 6 weeks post-op translab and this was a great insight on how the vestibular works with the other "senses".
left side AN 9mm diagnosed 2/2012
SSD, loud tinnitis left ear
Translab 5/24/12
Baha surgery 8/1/2012 at UVA
Baha hook up 11/09/2012  : ) 

I am a happy camper : )

chloes mema

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Re: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2012, 12:06:33 pm »
Interesting read, thank you for posting.

Karen
Diagnosed October 2011
Oct '11-9 X 6 mm left ear
Mar '12 - 1.25cm
Tinnitus, imbalance, and mild dizziness (ditsy)
My AN = Annoying Nuisance
Jan'12 W&W
May'12 CK completed
Oct'12 hemifacial spasms
Dec'19 It's back

MWL

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Re: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2012, 02:17:55 pm »
Thanks for the article.  It explains so much.  As someone who was recently diagnosed I am just getting up to speed on all this.  My symptoms actually started in 1982 and I was misdiagnosed and treated for other things for all these years.  The docs think I have an exceptionally slow growing tumor (2.5 cm as of a few months back) and that I really have had this thing for 30 years. Fortunately for me, the tumor has grown so slowly that although they tell me my vestibular nerve is shot, I have had years to learn to compensate for the loss as the system slowly died.  At least knowing what it is explains all the falls down the stairs, the episodes of vertigo, the fatigue, and now with the information in the article, the memory and communication problems, as well as the depression.  I have significant facial symptoms now and I remember a few years back finding myself slurring my words during a phone conversation in the middle of the day.  While slurring may be common for me now, it certainly wasn't back then.  And knowing that I had the something-is-not-quite-right feeling for years, I remember saying "Ya know, one  of these days we're gonna find out I have a brain tumor".  Well, "ta-da!". 

Thanks again for posting this article.

It is what it is

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Re: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 08:25:40 pm »
Simple Exercises Are an Easy and Cost-Effective Treatment for Persistent Dizziness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120705133918.htm#.UBH6uzky5EY.email

Karen
.7cm, left side AN , Tinnitus, Hearing preserved, Middle Fossa 8/1/12 at HEI, Drs Friedman and Schwartz, Sharing your story is extremely helpful to me.

CHD63

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Re: Great article on balance - excellent read for newbies
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2012, 08:25:34 am »
The problem with balance issues for acoustic neuroma patients is that usually only one vestibular nerve is damaged or destroyed ..... unless the patient is NF2 or has other factors compromising a vestibular nerve.  That leaves many different variations of how an individual person's vestibular nerves are firing or misfiring ..... which means all of us are unique in how our brains react to each of our situations.

That being said ..... and I am NOT a doctor ..... I think it is important for us to determine the degree of functioning of our vestibular nerves if we are still experiencing balance problems and then tailor our exercising accordingly.  If you know your acoustic neuroma totally destroyed the vestibular nerve on which it is growing (or it was removed or severed during surgery), then the brain needs time to switch all vestibular input to the other remaining good nerve.  Doing specific vestibular rehab exercises speeds up this process.  Actually walking is one of the best exercises, but you do need to gently (and safely) push yourself to start moving your head up and down and side to side while doing it.  (Always have a wall, a railing, or another person nearby until you are sure you can safely do this.)

If you have a slow growing AN, very often the brain has already compensated even before diagnosis and/or treatment.

Just my thoughts .....

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011