Disorders of Equilibrium (Hon) Flashcards
What 3 components are vital to maintain adequate balance?
- Visual - to judge distance
- Labyrinthine - judge acceleration and position change
- Proprioception
The Romberg test is used to test which component of balance?
Proprioception
Vertigo
illusion of movement of oneself or objects around self; can be vestibular or neurologic in origin
Benign Positional Vertigo (BPV)
recurrent episodes of vertigo triggered by changes in head position with respect to gravity
What is the most common cause of recurrent vertigo
Benign Positional Vertigo; idiopathic
What test is used to confirm benign positional vertigo?
Dix-Hallpike position testing
What is the most effective therapy for benign positional vertigo (BPV)
physical therapy - vestibular rehabilitation (balance therapy)
Vestibular neuronitis
spontaneous attacks of vertigo that does NOT involve hearing loss or tinnitus; NOT characteristically positional; resolves spontaneously
Meniere’s Disease
mostly females; increase in volume in labyrinthine endolymph (too much fluid in ears); end-lymphatic hydrops; fix the problem by removing the fluid
What is is the triad of symptoms for Ménière’s disease?
low frequency hearing loss
tinnitus “buzzing” or “crickets”
aural fullness
Sickness of Disembarkment
illusion of movement as an aftereffect of travel (sea, car or train); usually last under 24 hrs
HINTS Test
Head Impulse Nystagmus Test of Skew
a test to distinguish brainstem lesions from a peripheral lesion in a patient with an acute vestibular syndrome
Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor (CPA)
a CNS tumor at the CPA; generally involves CN’s V, VII and VIII
Friedrich’s Ataxia
AR disorder with mut on chr 9; onset before 20 yrs, gait ataxia, ataxia involving all 4 limbs**, dysarthria (difficulty speaking b/c muscles you use for speech are weak), impaired position/vibratory sense, weakness and absent DTRs
What is the most common cause of death in a patient with Friedrich’s Ataxia?
Cardiomyopathy
