OUR VESTIBULAR BATTERY

 

 

Videonystagmography/ Electronystagmography (VNG/ENG)

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The VNG/ENG battery is considered by many to be the gold standard test for vestibular assessment. Our state-of-the-art equipment can capture even the most subtle eye movement abnormalities, many of which would go undetected during a bedside evaluation.

 

It is a 1 hour comprehensive test of balance function.  In order to monitor your eye movements, you will be asked to wear a pair of goggles or you will have sticker electrodes around your face throughout the testing.

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Oculomotor testing

During the first part of the test you will be asked to follow a light from side-to-side and up-and-down. 

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Positional testing 

 

Here, we are looking for any abnormal eye movements with changing head and/or body position.  You will be asked to turn your head to each side and sit-up for 30 seconds.

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The Dix-Hallpike Manoeuvre

During this part of the test we are looking for positional vertigo. You will be asked to lie flat on your back with your head extended in one direction. This will be repeated with your head extended in other other direction.  

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CALORIC TESTING 

The last part of the test involves putting warm and cool air into your ears.  The air will stream into your ears for 25-30 seconds and this may cause some dizziness, however, it will not last.

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This is an important part of the assessment as it tests the balance system of each ear separately so that we can compare the intensity of the response from each side.

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Please note: dizziness from this test typically subsides within a very short period of time and most patients feel well enough to drive themselves home. As a precaution, we recommend that you ask a friend or family member to drive you to the appointment in case the dizziness takes a bit longer to subside.

 

 

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials

The Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) test is used to evaluate the balance organs that help with up-and-down and forward-and-backwards movements. Responses are measured from the neck muscles (cVEMP) and the eye muscles (oVEMP) by placing sticker electrodes on the neck and on the cheek.

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In total, the c and oVEMP testing takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

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cVemp:

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• You will have sticker electrodes placed on your forehead, neck and upper chest as well as a foam insert placed in your ear.

• You will be asked to turn and hold your head to one side when you hear a sound.  

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oVemp:

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• You will have sticker electrodes placed on your forehead, under your eyes/cheek and upper chest as well as a foam insert placed in your ear.

• You will be asked to look up when you hear a sound.  

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VIDEO HEAD IMPULSE TEST (vHIT)

The Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) is used to assess how well the eye can focus when the head is moving.  In order to test this function, you will wear a pair of goggles and be asked to focus on a target in front of you.  The clinician will then move your head side to side while you stare at the target.  The goggles measure your eye and head movements. 

 

A vHIT takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

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Diagnostic Hearing Assessment

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At the Lake Huron Audiology, we offer comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessments for all of our patient​s, experiencing dizziness symptoms.  This will help provide us information not only regarding your hearing, but will provide more insight to your vestibular concerns.

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What Is Included?

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Otoscopy 

We examine your ears, including the external ear canal and the eardrum, to look for signs of blockages (e.g. earwax) as well as ear-related problems that might require medical follow-up (e.g. ear infections).

 

If significant earwax is present, the audiologists a have access to medical-grade microscopes and suction devices for removing it.

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Immittance/Auditory Reflexes

We use a machine called a tympanometer to assess how your eardrums are moving. When an eardrum is too floppy or too stiff, it can indicate certain middle ear problems that usually require medical follow-up.

 

We may also play loud sounds in your ear to assess acoustic reflexes.

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Pure-Tone Audiometry 

This is the step that people most commonly expect when they come in for a hearing test. We play a series of beeps/tones and ask you to respond when you hear one. This way we can determine your hearing thresholds for each ear individually, across the range of frequencies/pitches that are important for speech understanding.

 

We use the results of this test to establish the severity and type of hearing loss. A hearing loss can be the result of damage to the inner ear and/or auditory nerve (sensorineural hearing loss), problems with the middle ear (conductive hearing loss), or both (mixed hearing loss).

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Speech Testing 

This part of the assessment is divided into two main parts. During the first part, you will be asked to repeat words as we vary the loudness. The purpose is to establish the softest level at which you are consistently able to repeat the words back correctly.

 

During the second part, we measure your accuracy when repeating words at a comfortable listening level. We also complete tests to establish your most comfortable listening level for speech (MCL), as well as your uncomfortable listening level (UCL; the maximum level you can listen to sounds before they become uncomfortably loud).

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Other Tests

 

At the discretion of the audiologist, other tests may be completed to better understand your individualized needs. An example of this is the speech in noise test (QuickSIN), which is used to evaluate your ability to function outside of a quiet environment.