Balance (maintaining your body’s place as you move through the world) is something which most of us are unaware of—until we lose it.

A faulty sense of balance or a feeling of dizziness makes walking and moving around challenging. Every year, 30-50 percent of people over the age of 65 experience a fall, which can lead to broken bones.

If you are having problems with your balance or are feeling dizzy, you may be surprised to know others struggle with the same issues. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 42 percent of men and women—of all ages—report experiencing dizziness or imbalance to their doctors.

“Some people feel it’s a problem they just have to live with, but that might not be the case,” says Dodie Vance, Physical Therapist and Team Leader for the Lancaster General Neuro Center. The Neuro Center offers the Dizziness and Balance Program to help people struggling with these issues.

“Many of our patients ask, ‘Why didn’t someone tell me about this sooner?’” Dodie says. “They feel relieved to know they can take action. In some situations, we can perform procedures to eliminate the symptoms. In others, we can teach people how to self-manage their symptoms.”

When you are referred to the program, you will first undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which may include clinical testing using the SMART Balance System. The SMART Balance System tests how well you are able to maintain your balance using your muscles and your senses of vision, touch and vestibular system (signals coming from you inner ear).

To identify what is causing your symptoms, the team collaborates with other professionals including neurologists, audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and ear, nose and throat doctors. They work together to create an individualized treatment plan that addresses the specifics of your condition. The goal of the program is to eliminate, or help you adapt or compensate for problems caused by inner ear dysfunctions or balance problems.