Balance Disorders in Port Neches, TX

Balance problems can appear in many ways dizziness, lightheadedness, unsteadiness, or the unsettling sensation that the room is spinning even when you are standing completely still. These symptoms can arrive without warning and interfere with work, driving, and the basic routines of daily life. For some people, a balance problem is an occasional nuisance. For others, it becomes a persistent condition that causes fear, limits independence, and takes a genuine toll on quality of life.

At M. Boyd Herndon, DO, PA, Dr. Herndon and our on-staff audiologists evaluate and treat balance disorders right here in our Port Neches office. If you are experiencing dizziness or balance problems, you do not have to manage it alone and you do not have to wonder what is causing it.

What Is a Balance Disorder?

Your sense of balance depends on several systems working together seamlessly your inner ear, your vision, your sensory nerves, and your brain. The inner ear plays a particularly central role, providing your brain with continuous information about your movement, position, and spatial orientation. When any part of this system sends inaccurate, delayed, or conflicting signals, the result is a balance disorder.

Balance disorders happen when the connection between these systems breaks down, leaving you feeling unsteady, disoriented, or as though the ground is moving beneath you. They may be symptoms of an underlying medical condition, a problem in the inner ear, or in some cases an issue involving the brain or central nervous system. Whatever the cause, a balance disorder can profoundly affect daily activities and create significant psychological and emotional hardship including anxiety about falling, avoidance of activities you once enjoyed, and in some cases depression.

Balance disorders affect an estimated 33 million adults in the United States. They are more common with age, but they are not an inevitable part of getting older and in most cases, they can be effectively diagnosed and treated.

What Are the Symptoms of a Balance Disorder?

If you have a balance disorder, you may feel like you are:

• Unsteady or off-balance
• Dizzy or lightheaded
• About to faint
• Moving when you are actually still
• Spinning (vertigo)
• Floating or drifting
• About to tip over
• Experiencing blurred or “bouncy” vision when you move your head
• Confused or disoriented

Other symptoms may include nausea or vomiting, changes in heart rate or blood pressure, and feelings of fear, anxiety, or panic during or between episodes. Symptoms may come and go in brief episodes or persist for extended periods, and can lead to significant fatigue and depression over time.

What Causes a Balance Disorder?

Unfortunately, many balance disorders begin suddenly and without an obvious trigger. The risk increases with age, but there is almost always an identifiable cause with a thorough evaluation. Some of the most common include:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is the most frequent cause of vertigo and balance problems. It occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged from their normal position and migrate into the semicircular canals, where they disrupt the normal fluid movement that tells your brain where your head is. BPPV is often triggered by simple head movements rolling over in bed, bending down, or looking up and produces brief but intense spinning episodes. It is highly treatable.

Ménière’s Disease

Ménière’s disease involves abnormal fluid buildup in the inner ear, causing episodes of intense vertigo that can last anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours. It is typically accompanied by fluctuating hearing loss, a roaring or ringing sound in the ear (tinnitus), and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear. Episodes can be severely disabling and unpredictable.

Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis

These conditions involve inflammation of the inner ear or the vestibular nerve often following a viral illness or upper respiratory infection. Labyrinthitis affects both hearing and balance, while vestibular neuritis affects balance alone. Both can cause sudden, severe vertigo along with nausea, unsteadiness, and in the case of labyrinthitis, hearing loss.

Other Causes

Balance problems can also result from:

• Medication side effects — many common medications including blood pressure drugs, sedatives, and certain antibiotics can affect balance
• Migraines — vestibular migraine is an underdiagnosed cause of recurrent vertigo
• Head injury or concussion
• Low blood pressure, particularly when standing
• Neurological conditions affecting the brain or central nervous system
• Vision problems or eye muscle imbalance
• Motion sickness
• Age-related changes in inner ear function
• Arthritis affecting the neck or spine

How We Diagnose Balance Disorders

Because balance depends on multiple systems working together, pinpointing the cause of a balance disorder requires a careful and methodical evaluation. At our Port Neches office, Dr. Herndon and our audiologists work together to provide a thorough diagnostic workup tailored to your specific symptoms.

Medical History and Consultation

Your evaluation begins with a detailed one-on-one consultation. Dr. Herndon will ask about the nature of your symptoms — when they started, how long episodes last, what triggers them, and whether anything makes them better or worse. He will review your medical history, current medications, and any recent events such as illness or head trauma that may be relevant. This history is often the most diagnostically useful part of the evaluation and helps direct which testing is most appropriate.

Videonystagmography (VNG)

VNG is a comprehensive balance test performed in our office that uses infrared goggles to track your eye movements as your head and body are guided through specific positions. Because the inner ear and eye movements are closely connected through a reflex called the vestibulo-ocular reflex, abnormalities in eye movement can reveal a great deal about the function of the inner ear and the balance pathways in the brain. VNG helps our team detect inner ear dysfunction, identify abnormal positional responses consistent with BPPV, and distinguish between inner ear causes of vertigo and central (brain-based) causes that may require further investigation. Testing is non-invasive and performed in a controlled environment designed to be as comfortable as possible.

Additional Testing

Depending on your symptoms and initial findings, Dr. Herndon may also recommend:

• Audiometry and hearing evaluation — performed by our on-staff audiologists, since hearing loss and balance problems frequently coexist and share underlying causes
• CT or MRI imaging — when the history or examination raises concern for a structural cause involving the ear or brain, imaging provides detailed anatomical information that guides further management
• Laboratory testing — in some cases, blood tests may be ordered to evaluate for systemic conditions that can contribute to dizziness and imbalance

Treatment Options for Balance Disorders

Treatment is guided by the underlying cause identified through your evaluation. Dr. Herndon will review your results with you in detail and develop a personalized care plan. Common treatment approaches include:

Epley Maneuver for BPPV

If your evaluation confirms BPPV, the Epley maneuver is the primary treatment. This is a series of carefully guided, gentle head movements that reposition the displaced calcium crystals back to where they belong in the inner ear. The procedure is performed in office, is well tolerated, and often provides significant or complete relief within one or two sessions. Dr. Herndon can also teach you a home version of the maneuver to use if symptoms return.

Medications

Depending on the diagnosis, medications may be prescribed to manage symptoms. Anti-vertigo medications can reduce the intensity of acute spinning episodes. Anti-nausea medications help manage the debilitating nausea that often accompanies severe vertigo. In cases involving inflammation of the inner ear, corticosteroids may be prescribed. When infection is present, antibiotics or antiviral medications may be appropriate.

Vestibular Rehabilitation

For patients with ongoing balance impairment particularly after vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, or other conditions that have caused lasting changes to inner ear function vestibular rehabilitation exercises can help the brain adapt to the altered signals it is receiving. This process, known as vestibular compensation, can significantly improve balance function and reduce the risk of falls over time.

Treating the Underlying Condition

When a balance disorder is secondary to another medical condition such as Ménière’s disease, migraines, or a systemic illness addressing that underlying condition is central to improving balance. Dr. Herndon coordinates closely with other specialists when appropriate to ensure your care addresses the full picture.

Lifestyle and Safety Recommendations

Depending on your diagnosis, specific guidance on diet, activity modifications, fall prevention strategies, and driving safety may be part of your care plan.

Schedule a Balance Evaluation in Port Neches, TX

If dizziness, vertigo, or balance problems are affecting your life, expert help is available close to home. Dr. Herndon and our team serve patients from Port Neches, Port Arthur, Nederland, Beaumont, and the surrounding Southeast Texas area. Call our office at (409) 729-6401 or request an appointment online and take the first step toward understanding what is behind your symptoms and reclaiming your stability.