Alcohol Disequilibrium Treatment

Disequilibrium is a balance disorder with different underlying causes. Long-term alcohol use or abuse or short-term alcohol use like binge drinking can be part of the causes of disequilibrium, or vertigo, and other disruptions of normal balance. Treatment of this disorder ranges from as simple as abstinence from alcohol to surgery of the inner ear.

Causes

• Disequilibrium disturbs balance and coordination in a way that impairs walking and movement, and affects a person's confidence in their ability to walk. According to the National Institutes of Health, "symptomatically, some such patients clearly profess that 'the problem is in my legs,' but others feel 'dizzy in the head, too.'"
  The 'multiple sensory deficit syndrome' that is the most common cause of disequilibrium occurs in two populations -- the elderly, and people under the influence of alcohol, medications or illegal substances. Alcohol related disequilibrium can also be a symptom of withdrawal for someone who is alcohol dependent, and can sometimes precede a seizure reaction. Neurological, muscle, vision and hearing disorders can all contribute to the feeling of inability to walk.

Treatment

• A physician will take your history, which will indicate the source of the trouble. In the case of alcohol related disequilibrium, the cause becomes readily apparent to an experienced doctor or nurse. However, other tests may be administered in order to rule out a contributing cause or more serious disorder. It is likely that the doctor will ask you to walk to assess your posture and gait. You may be given several neurological and sensory tests to examine your perception compared to your ability to walk.

  Drugs used to treat many balance disorders may not be recommended when the cause is overuse of alcohol, because of possible adverse drug reactions. In the case of disequilibrium due to alcohol withdrawal, benzodiazapines or anti-epileptic drugs may be used once a patient is stabilized. In the case of an overuse of alcohol, a patient will most likely be hydrated and asked to rest until more alcohol has left the bloodstream. The patient would then be re-assessed before any further treatment was prescribed.