vestibular/balance tests

[scarriegirl]

so from my first thread i realize that myself and others are curious about what to expect from this test...fill us in!!

thanks!
carrie

[HeadCase2]

Hi carrie,
  There are several different tests out there, but I can teel a bit about the ones I had.  One was to track eye movement with a series of moving  red lights across a display on the wall.  First with the lights moving right to left, and then left to right.  Another involved putting warm or cold water in one ear canal to temporarily incapacitate balance on that side, and then checking eye tracking.  Some people can become dizzy and/or nauseous during this test.  I believe this one is to find out if your brain has already compensated for some vestibular function loss on the AN side.
  There are other vestibular tests.  See more diagnostic test info at the Vestibular Disorders Association web site at http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/diagnostic-tests.php

Regards,
  Rob

[wendysig]

Hi Carrie
The test Rob mentioned above is called an ENG or electronystagnogram and measures balance and eye tracking as he mentioned. The audiologist will attach electrodes to your face, I think just near your eyes, so you are asked not to wear makeup or moisturizer before a test.  You should also be given a list of medications to avoid and toild not to drink alcoholic beverages for either 24 or 48 hours before the test as it can effect the test results.    Sometimes in place of cold and warm water, cold and warm air is put into the ear, this is the way I had this test.  In addition to watching the bar with red lights goting left to right and right to left I was also asked to follow them with my eyes going up and down.  As a way to distract youduring part of the test, you will also probably be asked to name states, names that start with a certain letter etc.   The audiologist also had me turn my head in different directions, left right, up and down.   Apparently there is more than one way to do this test, but you get the idea.  Some people also get dizzy or nauseous from the warm and cool air but I didn't find it to be a problem.  The results of the test will also tell your doctor how much imbalance you are having right now, which iI guess is how he willl know how much balance function your other ear has taken over.  I hope this helps.

Wendy

[scarriegirl]

i know i have lost a siginificant amount of balance in my bad ear...i hope this will help in a speedier recovery.  i do practice yoga balance poses and spend regular time in the pool doing"water yoga".  i guess my body knew i had lost balance before my mind knew!! will the tests reveal where the tumor is affecting me??  and if i pass the tests with i higher level of function will that mean an easier recovery??  i still have not decided on radiation vs surgery and i am really shooting in the dark here...meeting with the neurosurgeon wed. and not having the vestibular testing till oct 8.  is there something i should be asking about regarding this test??  any info is really helpful.

thanks!
carrie

[wendysig]

Hi Carrie,
Actually the fact that you have lost quite a bit of balance function now is a good thing.  The more imbalance you have before surgery, the less of a problem you will have after surgery.  The reason for this is that the vestibular nerve in the effected ear is cut during surgery and the vestibular nerve in the good is is forced to take over that balance function too.   If the damaged nerve were left in place, your brain would continue to get a mixed message from both sides and be unable to compensate.   You may need to go for vestibular rehabilitation which trains the remaining nerve to really take balance function over.  Anything that challenges your balance strenthens the system.  Yoga and water yoga would certainly help after surgery, although  you will not be able to do the water yoga right away.  I don't know if you are aware of this, but a fat graft  is taken from a small (mine is about three inches wide) abdominal incision (usually in the lower left quadrant) and placed in the surgical site to help prevent cerebral spinal fluid leaks.   Yoga is probably helping you right now too, but your balance will most likely be at least a little worse right after surgery.  Not everyone has much of a balance problem after surgery.  The physical therapist in the hospital wanted me to use a walker after my surgery because I couldn't walk without holding onto someone or the handrails that they have running along the wallls.  I found a cane to be sufficient, some people do need walkers and  many people don't need any support at all after a few days.  This, like everything else having to do with an acoustic neuroma is very individual.  You certainly should discuss this with your doctors.  I personally found my neurotologist to be much more helpful than my neurosurgeon but I had been communicating with him for a long time before I had my consultation with my neurosurgeon and he had answered most of my questions already.  If you need to talk, feel free to PM me and I'll send you my phone #.

Best wishes,

Wendy