Diagnosis at
Fall Prevention &
Rehabilitation, LLP

At Fall Prevention & Rehabilitation, LLP you will first be evaluated by a licensed Medical Doctor or licensed Physician Assistant.  They will perform a complete history and physical, including review of current symptoms, medications and vital statistics. They will then check your balance and stability by performing a Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP)   

Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP)
Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) is an established test of postural stability. While VENG and rotation testing assess visual-vestibular interactions, CDP provides information about motor control or balance function under varying environmental conditions.

The ability to maintain balance depends not only on vision and the vestibular system, but also on information that the brain receives from the muscles and joints which provide clues such as the direction of head turn and the texture and slope of the walking surface.

CDP tests the relationships among all balance system components--eyes, somatosensory system, and vestibular system. It measures the person's response to environments in which the amount of reliable information from the eyes and somatosensory system is varied.

The test involves standing on a platform, typically with some form of visual target to watch. The platform and/or the visual target move while pressure gauges under the platform record shifts in body weight (body sway) as the person being tested maintains balance. (Take out safety harness)

Posturography gives information about how well balance is maintained during challenging situations. It can help doctors plan other vestibular testing, as well as assist in treatment design.  If further diagnostic testing is indicated, the Physician may prescribe a VENG to rule in/rule out various Vestibular disorders.  

VideoElectronystagmography (VENG)
VideoElectronystagmography is a battery (group) of eye-movement tests that look for signs of vestibular dysfunction or neurological problems by measuring nystagmus (a kind of involuntary eye movement) and record other eye movements in order to evaluate certain brain functions. VENG tests are probably the most common ones administered to people with dizziness, vertigo, and/or balance disorders, although the test battery and some testing methods vary widely.
The eyes are closely linked to the inner ear; these organs depend on each other for good balance and clear vision. Head movement or other stimulation of the inner ear sends signals to the muscles of the eyes via the nervous system; this is called the vestibulo-ocular reflex.

During VENG, eye movements are recorded and analyzed via goggles placed around the eyes. (take out line about electrodes) Eye movements are recorded by an infrared video camera while.

While the eye movements are recorded, the person being tested will be asked a series of simple questions that are meant to keep the mind busy and alert during the tests.