Balance testing and therapy service

Team Leader
Dr. Nicola McEvoy

Team Members

Dr. Alex Lindsay

Dr. Anna Pepler

Ms. Rowena Trott

Ms. Amie Gronow

Ms. Victoria Lazell

Mr. Ved Melo Furtado

Departmental Links include:
Physiotherapy
ENT

If you think that you have a dizziness problem, please contact your GP and ask them to refer you to the clinic. Your GP can book an appointment directly on the Choose and Book system or send a letter addressed to the Clinic.

We run balance clinics at Royal Surrey Hospital and West Byfleet Health Centre.

The balance system is a ‘tripod system’ of sensory information; it is the coordination of information from the visual system, the proprioceptive system (information about position from your feet, limbs and joints) and the vestibular system (information from the balance organs in the inner ear). The brain processes the information from all these systems and ensures that the muscles in your limbs and eye respond correctly when the balance system is challenged. For example, you are walking along when suddenly you trip over a stone in the pathway. Your balance system reacts to ensure that you do not fall and makes corrective movements with your limbs and eyes. For further information please click here.

Vertigo (an illusion of movement), dizziness and balance problems arise when there are problems in one or more of the systems involved in balance (vision, proprioception and/or vestibular system). It can be due to a number of different things including problems with the balance organ or nerve, various medical conditions or neurological problems. It is thus important that the cause for the dizziness be determined by a professional.

For further information please click here.

Our highly trained staff would complete a full case history and perform audio-vestibular testing procedures. These procedures may take approximately 1hr 30m to 2hr 30 min to complete.

After the testing has been completed, you may require therapy to help with your dizziness symptoms. Therapy would then be discussed and arrangements would be made for you to attend the Vestibular Rehabilitation Clinic.

Nicola McEvoy
Team Leader (Balance Service)
Audiology Department
Royal Surrey County Hospital
Egerton Road
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XX
E-mail: rsch.vestibularaudiology@nhs.net
Tel 01483 464108

Partnership Organisations

The Surrey Dizziness Services has established links with the Brain and Spine Institute and are working together to create awareness of Dizziness problems.

• Read about the Brain and Spine Institute here.
• Read about the Ménière’s Society here.

Support Groups

We offer a patient support group for our patients which started in March 2012 in conjunction with the Meniere’s Society. It provides a venue in which patients with similar experiences can express their views and experiences with their disorder. Please click here for further information.

Departmental Research

• The role of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in the diagnosis of Dizziness.
• Motivational approach to behaviour change in vestibular rehabilitation to improve clinic attendance.