Health Decision Guides

Welcome to the symptom guide regarding imbalance or unsteady gait. We're sorry to hear you're having this problem.

This symptom guide is designed for persons who have noticed balance problems or unsteadiness while walking.

Please keep in mind that this guide cannot replace a face-to-face evaluation with a health professional. It is meant to provide helpful information while you are awaiting further evaluation, or to supplement what you may have already learned after medical evaluation.

In this guide, you'll be asked a series of questions that will guide you through some of the most common reasons for balance problems; however, it won't cover every cause.

So, if none of the conditions covered in this guide seem to apply to you, keep in mind that sometimes no cause is found. Or, you may have a rare cause of imbalance that's not covered here.

Let's get started.

The first questions are aimed at the possibility of a serious or dangerous cause of imbalance or unsteady gait.

Did your balance problems begin after a head injury?

Or did they develop along with any of the following?

- A severe headache

- Weakness on one side of the body

- Slurred speech

- Inability to walk

- Tremor

- Trouble swallowing

Yes, one or more of those is true.

No, none of those is true for me.