Dizzy patients are among the most challenging, time-consuming cases that are seen in otolaryngologists’ offices. The cause of the vertigo is often difficult to establish, and effective treatment is often elusive. Therefore, it can be helpful to know which vestibular tests can be effectively conducted in the general otolaryngology clinic and which ones are typically performed in a referral clinic specializing in balance disorders.
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April 2006In several phone interviews, several vestibular disorder experts discussed some basic in-office techniques as well as novel testing modalities that are typically available in referral clinics or hospitals.
Patients who present with vestibular complaints typically will involve more time than the usual patient with sinusitis or middle ear fluid or any number of other pathologies that the general otolaryngologist encounters, said James Soileau, MD, the senior partner of the Ear and Balance Institute in Baton Rouge, La.