Remember when you made the merry-go-round spin as fast as you could and then held on for dear life? After the ride, your world was dizzy and you laughed as you fell to the ground. That was then, this is now and being dizzy when you don’t want to be can be a problem.

A balance disorder can cause you to feel unsteady, like you’re spinning or fl oating. The labyrinth in your inner ear is a key part of your balance system. The semicircular canals in the labyrinth are fi lled with fluid and motion of the fl uid tells you if you are moving. The labyrinth interacts with your eyes and sensory system to maintain your balance. These systems, along with the brain and the rest of the nervous system, can be the source of balance problems.

Balance problems are a common reason for older adults to see their physicians. “The risk for dizziness increases with age,” says Deema Fattal, M.D., director of the Balance Disorders Clinic at UI Hospitals and Clinics, “because of three factors: a higher tendency for loose crystals in the inner ear; deteriorating hearing, vision, and foot sensations; and a less stable vestibular system, which involves the inner ear and its connection to the brain.”

A relatively common condition primarily in the elderly is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, often referred to as loose crystals. In this condition, tiny crystals in the inner ear break loose on their own and wind up in the ear canal fl uid, causing dizziness and imbalance. Treatment consists of placing patients in bed and turning them a certain way that puts the crystals back into their proper place, says Fattal.

If you feel dizzy:

According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, more than 40 percent of Americans will experience a dizziness episode serious enough to cause them to seek medical help. Being dizzy may seem like a minor annoyance but can occasionally signal a more serious problem, such as heart disease or stroke.

The UI Balance Disorders Clinic is one of the few such clinics in the U.S. and is a joint effort of the UI neurology and otolaryngology departments. Deema Fattal, M.D., director, is one of only a dozen neurologists in the U.S. who specialize in vertigo and other balance disorders.

The UI neurology department will open a new Fall Clinic this summer. Call 800-777-8442 for information.

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