What is the vestibular system?

The inner ear is made up of two key components — the cochlea, which is responsible for hearing, and the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance. Within the vestibular system, there are five specialised structures dedicated to keeping us balanced.

• The Semicircular Canals: Each ear contains three semicircular canals — horizontal, anterior, and posterior — positioned at different angles to one another. Together, they detect rotational and angular head movements, helping the brain understand how and where the head is moving.

• The Otolith Organs: Each ear also contains two otolith organs — the utricle and the saccule — which are sensitive to gravity and linear movement. These structures help us detect movements such as accelerating forward, stopping suddenly, or moving up and down.

Under normal circumstances, both ears send balanced signals to the brain. When one ear is not functioning as it should, these signals become unequal, which can result in vertigo — a false sensation of movement or spinning. When both ears are affected, the brain may receive little to no movement signal at all.

Your balance system doesn’t rely on the inner ear alone — it also draws on input from your eyes and muscles to help maintain stability. And if part of the inner ear stops working, the brain has a remarkable ability to adapt and re-learn how to interpret the new signals it receives. While it can be tempting to avoid moving your head when experiencing symptoms, movement is actually an important part of the recovery process. One of the most effective ways to support this adaptation is through vestibular rehabilitation exercises, prescribed by a vestibular physiotherapist.

Vestibular function testing gives us a detailed picture of how well your balance system is working, helping to identify any inner ear weakness or irregularities that may be contributing to your dizziness or balance difficulties. Because the eyes and inner ear are closely connected, recording eye movements gives us a valuable window into how well your vestibular system is functioning.

Preparing for Your Vestibular Assessment

Please follow these simple steps before your appointment

• Clothing: Choose comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and flat, supportive footwear. Some parts of the assessment involve gentle head and body movements, so freedom of movement is important.
• Make-up: Please come without eye make-up on the day — mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can all interfere with the specialised cameras we use to track eye movements. If you use both contact lenses and glasses, we recommend opting for glasses on the day of your appointment.
• Eating & Drinking: Try to avoid a heavy meal in the two hours leading up to your appointment. A light snack earlier in the day is fine if needed.
• Alcohol & Smoking: Please refrain from alcohol for at least 48 hours before your assessment, as it can influence your results. We also ask that you avoid smoking for at least 24 hours prior to your appointment.
• Medications: Please avoid dizziness or motion-sickness medications (e.g. Stemetil, Serc, Ancolan, Torecan, Marzine), antihistamines, and sleeping tablets (e.g. Valium, Serepax, Mogadon) for at least 4 days before your appointment. We recommend speaking with your doctor before stopping any medication. If you take medication for your heart, blood pressure, breathing, or epilepsy, please continue these as usual.
• Getting Home: Some patients find their balance is temporarily affected following vestibular testing, so we recommend arranging for someone to take you home after your appointment rather than driving yourself.

Following your assessment, we provide your referring doctor with a detailed report outlining our findings and recommendations.

Our vestibular assessments are bulk billed with a valid referral from your GP or treating specialist.

Please allow approximately 3 hours for your appointment.