Balance issues forceing giving up riding

[yogidozer]

You have a bigger problem than balance....you live in a city! 

[jumpmaster]

That reply ticks me off    I gotta have some humor.  I will say that I am having a cat scan on Thursday.  Also I read about the Berg balance test. It says that I should be able to stand on one foot for one minute with no trouble.  I can only make 15 to 20 seconds.  Not good.A friend of mine can do two minutes with no problem.Hmmmm.

Not trying to be argumentative, but I got curious about the Berg balance test after reading your post.  I'm not a doctor, but my understanding is that this test is for rating the likelihood of seniors having a heightened risk for falling while moving about.   I looked up the scoring sheet for the test - it says that you should be able to stand on TWO feet for one minute to get a maximum score.  Maximum score for standing on ONE foot is 10+ seconds.  Maybe the info you got was for young adults and the info I got was for seniors?  In any event, those of us in our 60s and above shouldn't panic if we can't stand on one foot for a minute.  Your "2 minute" friend is probably either superman or has been doing yoga for years!

[JoeB]

Wife suffered from vertigo, mild to intense. Initial emergency care was given to rule out stroke. Turns out her rocks were off. Little crystals displaced in the inner ear canal affecting balance. A simple physical therapy treatment called the Epley maneuver relieved it.  Never heard of it before she had it but now run into allot of folks who have had it or know someone who did.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_paroxysmal_positional_vertigo
Whatever your cause hope you get it all sorted out!

[gearman]

Not trying to be argumentative, but I got curious about the Berg balance test after reading your post.  I'm not a doctor, but my understanding is that this test is for rating the likelihood of seniors having a heightened risk for falling while moving about.   I looked up the scoring sheet for the test - it says that you should be able to stand on TWO feet for one minute to get a maximum score.  Maximum score for standing on ONE foot is 10+ seconds.  Maybe the info you got was for young adults and the info I got was for seniors?  In any event, those of us in our 60s and above shouldn't panic if we can't stand on one foot for a minute.  Your "2 minute" friend is probably either superman or has been doing yoga for years!

Well jumpmaster,you were correct.I re read the test and see that one leg is only 10 seconds.  I am cured, thanks doc. I can barely pass now but feel better. I'll have to tell my friend who rides a Gold Wing what a hero he is.Maybe i should start a balance test This site is very useful.

[Tom]

 :1: on your inner ear health.  Aside from that, the 3 wheel options should be looked at.  When the time comes and I can't ride 2 wheels then I'll sell the moto's and keep my trike.  Good luck.

[garbln]

I'm 71 and a couple years ago I was having balance problems that ended up being inner ear problems.  They did some simple tests and even figured what ear had the problem.  They gave me some simple motions to go thru to get things right and within a couple days every thing was OK.  It comes back once in a while so I just do the stuff again and it goes away.  Go get it checked out it may not be as bad as you think.

Good luck!

[JohninVT]

When I was 37 or 38 I had an earache.  Turned out I had a massive cholesteatoma that had that eroded bone and entered my brain case. My entire inner and middle ear was removed along with the tumor.  It took nearly two years before I could ride again.  If I was tired or had one drink I would stumble around like a drunk.  Even now, 12 years later, if I swim in cold water I am careful about getting it in my ear because it will induce such vertigo I can vomit.  The thing is, your body is an amazing creation.  It can learn to adapt and process information it needs in different ways.  While I may not be able to nonchalantly walk along a ridgecap while building a house anymore, my balance is pretty decent.  I can stand on one foot for twenty minutes(providing I'm not overly tired, no alcohol, etc) if my eyes are open.  The instant I close my eyes I fall over.  My Dr. has told me that my brain is using spatial relationships my eyes see to maintain balance.  It's great but it does mean I don't ride much at night unless I have a motorcycle with great lighting that has a wide beam spread.  My Cali Touring happens to have phenomenal lighting and I was really fun being able to ride at night again last Fall.  I also always ride with earplugs and it's not so much for noise as it is to keep both my inner ears the same temperature. 

Point is, get yourself squared away.  There are ways you can adapt to whatever may be the trouble.  If it means you have to do exercises or practice or even switch to a sidecar, don't give up something that gives your life joy.  Keep the wind in your face.  Buy a Miata to bomb around in for a while.  Good luck.     

[Shorty]

I have both menieres disease and also the crystal problem. I carry 2 meds everywhere I go. One is promethizine, a topical cream in a syringe. If I begin to get woozy, I put some on my wrists and rub them together. That fights nasea too. The second is a pill called lorazepam. It calms you down to lessen the severity of the attacks. I ride my sidecar some days, and can function that way. On confident days I take a 2 wheeler, but the Mrs.has had to come fetch me home from places more than once. My attacks are episodal; if I felt that way all the time I might hang it up. Get help. You may need a specialist. Not every sawbones is familiar with inner ear troubles. Good luck!

[wavedog]

I am not a doctor, but I did play doctor with a couple of girls in my neighborhood when I was a kid.
 Years ago I started having balance problems also. I first noticed it after doing a series of loops, snap rolls and spins. Nothing complicated. It was taking a second to clear my head which had never happened before. I stopped the aerobatics soon after. A few years later, after a lot of extensive testing etc it turns out I have Parkinsons. Weird. I go to a balance and gait specialist at the VA and religiously do the therapies they tell me to do every day. I also go to the gym 3x a week and walk every day. It really helps. I can't ride at night anymore because my balance relies on visual spatial orientation.
 I guess the point is to take it serious and get yourself checked out, which you are doing. As others have said it may be something simple and temporary, or not. I hope you can keep riding. Cheers.

[gearman]

I had a brain scan today and went to an ent.The ear guy pulled a lot of wax out but said that that would not cause the balance problem.because it is in the outer ear.I will see the neuro doc early FEB.so I learn something then.  All good help here.

[JohninVT]

I have both menieres disease and also the crystal problem. I carry 2 meds everywhere I go. One is promethizine, a topical cream in a syringe. If I begin to get woozy, I put some on my wrists and rub them together. That fights nasea too. The second is a pill called lorazepam. It calms you down to lessen the severity of the attacks. I ride my sidecar some days, and can function that way. On confident days I take a 2 wheeler, but the Mrs.has had to come fetch me home from places more than once. My attacks are episodal; if I felt that way all the time I might hang it up. Get help. You may need a specialist. Not every sawbones is familiar with inner ear troubles. Good luck!

You take Lorazepam and then ride?  Umnnn....I would not suggest that to anyone.  Benzodiazepines can cause drowsiness, dizziness, are sometimes used as a sleep aid.  They usually dull your senses(they are, after all, an anxiety medicine).  They're also highly addictive and are meant to be take for very short periods.     

[twowings]

It makes Shorty fun to follow on winding roads! 

[Sheepdog]

You take Lorazepam and then ride?  Umnnn....I would not suggest that to anyone.  Benzodiazepines can cause drowsiness, dizziness, are sometimes used as a sleep aid.  They usually dull your senses(they are, after all, an anxiety medicine).  They're also highly addictive and are meant to be take for very short periods.     

I tried one once and slept for 12 hours. That stuff is not for me...