Author Topic: continued balance issues  (Read 3622 times)

reg

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continued balance issues
« on: June 16, 2009, 05:06:27 pm »
hi everyone,
i had an apointment today with my physical therapist for vestibular training and i dont think it went well.  ? if i had surgery on one side shouldnt the opposite side be affected since the brain controls opposite sides of the body. well my same side i had the surgery on is causing me lots of problems its very uncoordinated my pt said it must be the weather (its very rainy here) i exercise daily and cant run yet ( it is  very discouraging) , but i keep plugging away, probably one of my down days i didnt post to discourage anyone just had a ? thanks
4.5 cm retro surgical removal dec 06

CHD63

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Re: continued balance issues
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2009, 07:15:56 pm »
reg .....

Hopefully a medical person will add onto your question ......  The way I understand it, the vestibular nerves on both sides carry information from the ears to the brain stem and work in tandem.  They also coordinate with the eyes and sensory motor system to maintain one's balance.  If one of the vestibular nerves is destroyed, the brain adjusts and adapts to information from the good side only ..... a wonderful redundant system we have.  During this period of adjusting/adapting often the person with the destroyed vestibular nerve will lean to that same side for balance until the brain learns the new pattern.

I am not quite sure what you mean by
well my same side i had the surgery on is causing me lots of problems its very uncoordinated

Do you mean your limbs on the AN side are not responding like they should when you try to move them?  If so, I'm not sure this is a vestibular problem and maybe you should check with your doctor.  As for running, that of course involves adequate balance and you may just need to give it more time.  It's also possible your "good" side is not sending adequate signals.  (That is my case due to surgeries on both sides.)  In that case, you will have to work extra hard on strengthening your vision and sensory motor systems to compensate for the poor vestibular system.

Let us know how you are doing.

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