Dizziness & Balance Assessment in Georgia

Your ears do more than hear

Deep inside each ear, next to the hearing organ, sits your body's balance system — a set of tiny fluid-filled canals that tell your brain which way is up and how you're moving. When that system misfires, you feel it: spinning, swaying, lightheadedness, or a general unsteadiness that makes you grab the counter.

Because the balance system lives in the ear, an audiologic assessment is often one of the most useful steps in figuring out dizziness. That's care we provide at Hearing-Doctors, led by Dr. Gabriel Pitt, Au.D., a University of South Florida-trained Doctor of Audiology.

When is it worth getting checked?

Consider an assessment if the room spins when you roll over in bed or look up, if you've felt unsteady on your feet for more than a few days, if you've had a fall or a near-fall, or if dizziness comes along with hearing changes or ringing in your ears. Those patterns often trace back to the inner ear — and they're exactly what a balance assessment is built to sort out.

Why get dizziness assessed?

Dizziness isn't something to just live with. It's one of the leading causes of falls, and falls are serious business — especially past age 60. An assessment helps answer the question your doctor needs answered: is the inner ear the cause, or should we look elsewhere? Either answer moves you forward. If it's the ear, many inner-ear balance problems respond well to treatment once identified. If it's not the ear, we've ruled out a major suspect and your physician can focus the search.

What to expect at your visit

• A detailed conversation. When the dizziness happens, what it feels like (spinning? floating? about-to-faint?), how long it lasts, and what triggers it. These details matter more than most people expect.
• A hearing evaluation. Hearing and balance share the same ear, the same nerve, and the same plumbing — a hearing test often provides clues about the balance system.
• Balance-focused assessment. Simple, non-invasive checks of how your balance system responds. Nothing painful — some parts may briefly bring on your dizziness, which is normal and actually useful for diagnosis.
• Findings you can act on. Dr. Pitt explains what the results suggest and coordinates with your physician on next steps.

Wear comfortable clothes, bring a list of your medications, and have someone drive you if dizziness is easily triggered. If your dizziness comes with sudden hearing loss, severe headache, chest pain, or weakness, that's an emergency — call 911 first, not an audiologist.