HUP's new Balance Center on sure footing

Standing with two feet flat on the ground does not always ensure perfect balance -- a fact that often leads to difficulties when diagnosing balance problems. But physicians at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania recently began diagnosing and treating these problems at a new facility, aptly named The Balance Center. The center -- started by the Ear, Nose, and Throat department at HUP -- will study and treat such disorders as dizziness, light-headedness and vertigo. Treatment for a majority of these disorders mainly involves retraining eye and body movements, thus affecting balance, according to Glenn Knox, Balance Center Director and assistant professor of head and neck surgery. The Balance Center at HUP, which is the only comprehensive facility of its type in the Delaware Valley, utilizes state-of-the-art technology to diagnose the various disorders. The Postroography platform tests six sensory conditions, including visual, somatosensory and "compensating eye movements." Patients stand on the platform with their eyes both open and closed for different trials, experiencing variations in pressure and motion of background scenery. The results are then analyzed by a computer. "Postroography is our more general test," Knox said. "I use it very often." Another test used by Knox involves a rotational chair, which provides more specific data. While the rotational chair moves back and forth, eye movement responses show the functions of the inner ear. In coordination with the Balance Center, Knox has also set up a support group for patients suffering from Meniere's disease -- a disorder which often results in dizziness, ear-ringing and hearing loss. The purpose of this group is to discuss the disease and treatment options, as well as its impact on everyday life. The first meeting of this group will be held on March 29th at the Memorial Library of Radnor Township in Wayne.