Vestibular agnosia is a condition where a person has difficulty recognizing or interpreting signals from their balance system, even though the inner ear itself may be working normally. This can make it hard to sense motion, imbalance, or dizziness accurately, which may increase the risk of falls or delayed responses to balance problems. Vestibular agnosia occurs in patients with concussions, mild traumatic brain injuries, and neurodegenerative disorders.
These patients often present for care due to falls and imbalance. During a vestibular exam, they are discovered to have a true spinning vertigo problem but they are unable to feel any spinning vertigo symptoms. This is due to an injury or degeneration of their brain, but they still benefit from vestibular treatments to address their spinning vertigo problem guided by nystagmus.
For more information on why this condition is often overlooked and a detailed discussion of treatment planning for patients with vestibular agnosia, click here.
Disclaimer
This blog is provided for informational and educational purposes only. The content and any comments by Dr. Kim Bell, DPT are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The details of any case mentioned in this post represent a typical patient that Dr. Bell might see and do not describe the circumstances of a specific individual.
