Balance Center Pre-Test Instructions

Please tell us if you are currently receiving any physical therapy at any other location (home health, outpatient, or nursing home) for any diagnosis. If you are, we cannot perform the PT evaluation until you are discharged from the other therapy because insurance companies consider this to be double billing for services and thus, fraudulent. Also, patients with Medicare cannot be evaluated by PT if they are receiving ANY home health services.

Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to complete paperwork. We are located in the G2 level of the parking garage under Medical Building C. There is a blue entry with an orange canopy over the door that reads, "Rehabilitation Services." Please bring a written list of all of the different medications you take and be able to answer questions about your medical history, any surgeries you have had and any medication allergies.

Certain medications and substances can interfere with the test results to determine what is causing your dizziness or balance problem.

DO NOT USE OR TAKE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF SUBSTANCES OR MEDICATIONS FOR 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT.

• Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor)
• Nicotine (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, cigars, pipes)
• Caffeine (soft drinks, coffee, tea, diet pills containing caffeine)
• Anti-dizziness pills (meclizine, antivert, valium, Dramamine, transderm scopolamine)
• Sleeping pills
• Pain medications or muscle relaxers (Darvocet, hydrocodone, Percocet, Percodan, Lorcet, oxycodone, Oxycontin, Demerol, morphine, MS contin, Norgesic, Norgesic Forte, propoxyphene, Duragesic, hydromorphone, hydoxyzine, Ultram, Soma, Skelaxin, Stadol, Ultracet, Zanaflex, Flexeril, Norflex, Robaxin, salsalate, etc.)
• Antihistamines, cold and sinus medicines (Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin, Tavist, Clarinex, Benadryl, diphenhydramine, Actifed, Alavert, Chlor-Trimeton, Dimetapp, etc.)
• Diuretics or fluid pills (Lasix, furosemide, HCTZ, etc.)
• Any medicines that have a sedating or stimulating effect

Please note: Patients with diabetes and Parkinson’s disease should take their medications for these conditions. Any questions about which medications you can take, please ask or call us at 865.305.6630.

• Do not eat or drink anything for 3 hours before your test. Sometimes the tests can cause some nausea and this will help to minimize the severity. If you are diabetic, eat only a light snack or light meal.
• Do not wear eye make-up for the VNG test so the camera can record your eye movements correctly.
• Wear comfortable clothing that you can easily move in (sitting, standing, lying down, turning on your side).
• You should have someone available to drive you home after the testing in case you are feeling dizzy.

Test Descriptions 

VNG – Videonystagmography – 1.5 hour test
VNG is performed by an audiologist and tests the function of your inner ear. It is also referred to as ENG or electronystagmography. The only difference is how your eye movements are measured. You will be wearing goggles during this test and a small camera will record your eye movements. During the test you will be asked to watch a series of lights on the wall, place your head in several different positions, and have warm and cool air put in your ear canals. The VNG should not cause any pain, but it may cause dizziness and sometimes nausea.

Physical Therapy Evaluation – 1 hour and 15 minutes
A physical therapist will perform several different tests that will look at the function of the 3 different systems used for balance (vision, strength and sensation in feet and legs, and inner ear). You will perform different head and eye movements and move through various position changes of your body to determine any effects these have on you. A computerized balance test (called posturography) will test your standing balance under different conditions. You may be asked to remove your shoes and possibly your socks during this evaluation.