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Balance issues after TIA or Stroke?
Wondering if anyone else has experienced an increase in balance issues while walking after a TIA or stroke. If so what did you do about it that helped?
I have never had great balance when walking but find I am significantly worse now. I can’t walk a straight line, especially not heel to toe. I am nervous on stairs going up or down and narrow paths are difficult. I had two TIAs this year and am not dizzy or weaker but this issue has me worried about falling.
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I completely relate to yiur balance issues. I progressively got worse over 8 years to the point I have motion lights all over the house and used walking sticks outside for stability. Doctors just made speculations until my physiotherapist noticed my eyes did not seem to track correctly. I went to a visual therapy clinic that had all the correct testing tools and found the lacunar infarcts had caused a vestibular-ocular signaling mismatch that caused my dizziness, balance issues and headache. I was prescribed a 3 x/ day mu upsilon eyeglasses and at home light therapy exercises plus tinted prism lens glasses. It was life changing! Instead of feeling hopeless and 20 years older, I now feel 20 years younger. This was totally missed by several neuroligists. Might be worth checking into. Good luck.
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3 ReactionsMy balance was much, much worse after having a stroke. Nearly six years later, it's still not that great.
I think there are several reasons why, mainly that my brain gets mixed signals from my affected vs. non-affected sides.
I can compensate well enough when I can see, but in darkness I get disoriented very quickly.
More practice seems to help.
Good luck!
You may find my YouTube channel about my recovery experience interesting:
"From Recovery to Discovery"
http://www.youtube.com/@srlucado/videos
Can you tell us the name and location of the visual therapy clinic?
Long before my TIA I got imbalance when I closed my eyes but after my TIA I have it all the time which is due to stenosis/narrowing mainly in my carotid arteries which gives the brain a lack of oxygen.
I went to Okanagan Vision Therapy in Kelowna, British Columbia. He did say he studied with colleagues in Texas and California.
Gosh the brain and spine problems always seem to cause similar problems. I have severe DDD in cervical and lumbar spine and do not have any offered treatment aside from physio or injections. Physio is good but the injections did nothing. My carotid arteries have minimal blockage but I have a tortuous vertebral basilar artery. Doctors brush that off as nothing, but I suspect otherwise as I can early pass out if my head is in certain position. Maybe a doppler ultrasound would show something. Lack of oxygen may have caused my lacunar infarcts as well. Still guessing there.
Hi, I have problem with my basilar artery that goes up the brainstem to the brain. Like you, I have many herniated discs from C3-S1 (many have become stable after acute problems) and impingements in vertebrae, displacement of vertebrae, impingements in the body of the vertebrae, etc. since I was a child. Is stable now, does not need painkillers other than occasionally, has a special head pillow. I think I have fibromuscular dysplasia in my spine as well. A medical doctor calls me every 3 months. The worry about stroke is troublesome.
Wish I could get a doppler ultrasound.