Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI. Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.

Physiotherapists do not diagnose. Physiotherapists work with you based on how your imbalance or dizziness presents. Well-trained physiotherapists can make a working hypothesis of what is wrong and can help guide your medical doctor or specialist towards a diagnosis.

Vestibular audiologists do diagnostic vestibular testing. They can, for example, test to see if you have bilateral vestibular hypofunction or a bilateral vestibular disorder. Similar to how audiologists can say, “You have a sensory hearing loss,” vestibular audiologists can say, “You have a loss of balance function.” They will not label your disorder, but will say things like, “This balance sensor seems to be 50% functional” or “There is a dysfunction on this or that balance sensor.” This information will be passed on to your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Gravol is a drug that acts on the central nervous system. It can be thought of as a numbing agent. It reduces the sensitivity of your central nervous system, and it usually works very well at reducing nausea. It is a symptomatic medication. If it helps you, it will not tell you the reason for your nausea. If you respond to Gravol, that is good because you will have less symptoms. But your healthcare team will need to continue to dig deeper to understand why you are having nausea.

Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI.

Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.

Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.

Physiotherapists do not diagnose. Physiotherapists work with you based on how your imbalance or dizziness presents. Well-trained physiotherapists can make a working hypothesis of what is wrong and can help guide your medical doctor or specialist towards a diagnosis.

Vestibular audiologists do diagnostic vestibular testing. They can, for example, test to see if you have bilateral vestibular hypofunction or a bilateral vestibular disorder. Similar to how audiologists can say, “You have a sensory hearing loss,” vestibular audiologists can say, “You have a loss of balance function.” They will not label your disorder, but will say things like, “This balance sensor seems to be 50% functional” or “There is a dysfunction on this or that balance sensor.” This information will be passed on to your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI.

Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.

Physiotherapists do not diagnose. Physiotherapists work with you based on how your imbalance or dizziness presents. Well-trained physiotherapists can make a working hypothesis of what is wrong and can help guide your medical doctor or specialist towards a diagnosis.

Vestibular audiologists do diagnostic vestibular testing. They can, for example, test to see if you have bilateral vestibular hypofunction or a bilateral vestibular disorder. Similar to how audiologists can say, “You have a sensory hearing loss,” vestibular audiologists can say, “You have a loss of balance function.” They will not label your disorder, but will say things like, “This balance sensor seems to be 50% functional” or “There is a dysfunction on this or that balance sensor.” This information will be passed on to your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI.

Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.

Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.

Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.

Physiotherapists do not diagnose. Physiotherapists work with you based on how your imbalance or dizziness presents. Well-trained physiotherapists can make a working hypothesis of what is wrong and can help guide your medical doctor or specialist towards a diagnosis.

Vestibular audiologists do diagnostic vestibular testing. They can, for example, test to see if you have bilateral vestibular hypofunction or a bilateral vestibular disorder. Similar to how audiologists can say, “You have a sensory hearing loss,” vestibular audiologists can say, “You have a loss of balance function.” They will not label your disorder, but will say things like, “This balance sensor seems to be 50% functional” or “There is a dysfunction on this or that balance sensor.” This information will be passed on to your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Gravol is a drug that acts on the central nervous system. It can be thought of as a numbing agent. It reduces the sensitivity of your central nervous system, and it usually works very well at reducing nausea. It is a symptomatic medication. If it helps you, it will not tell you the reason for your nausea. If you respond to Gravol, that is good because you will have less symptoms. But your healthcare team will need to continue to dig deeper to understand why you are having nausea.

Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI.

Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.

Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.

Physiotherapists do not diagnose. Physiotherapists work with you based on how your imbalance or dizziness presents. Well-trained physiotherapists can make a working hypothesis of what is wrong and can help guide your medical doctor or specialist towards a diagnosis.

Vestibular audiologists do diagnostic vestibular testing. They can, for example, test to see if you have bilateral vestibular hypofunction or a bilateral vestibular disorder. Similar to how audiologists can say, “You have a sensory hearing loss,” vestibular audiologists can say, “You have a loss of balance function.” They will not label your disorder, but will say things like, “This balance sensor seems to be 50% functional” or “There is a dysfunction on this or that balance sensor.” This information will be passed on to your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Most of the time, doctors ordering a CT scan or MRI of your temporal bone – the bone enclosing your inner ear – are looking for major structural abnormalities. Usually, they want to see the health of the bone, whether or not it is intact, and if there are any tumours on the balance and hearing nerve or on the structures at the back of your head. An acoustic neuroma, for example, is a benign tumour causing hearing loss and dizziness as it grows around the hearing and balance nerve. Acoustic neuromas show up on an MRI.

Neither CT scans nor MRIs can, however, help diagnose most causes of dizziness and imbalance. Imaging cannot show if the tiny inner-ear balance sensors are working. In summary, the role of medical imaging is to rule out – or in – certain structural causes for balance and dizziness disorders.