Balance in the elderly

Throughout the years, the human organism goes through natural aging, having functional and structural changes. The part responsible for the corporal balance system also suffers from the aging process, creating great impact for the elderly. Aim: Thus, the present paper aims at studying the vestibular function of old people suffering from dizziness, tinnitus and hearing impairment. Study design: transversal cohort. Material and method: Eighty elderly individuals from two different groups were evaluated: group A - comprising 38 women and 2 men who belonged to an elderly group from Santa Maria, RS; and group B - comprising 35 women and 5 men with complaints of balance disorders. Results: Both groups underwent anamnesis (directed to aspects concerning dizziness, tinnitus and hearing impairment), and vestibular function evaluation (by using the computerized system of vecto-electronystagmography SCV 5.0). The results showed statistical significant difference between both groups, concerning the complaints of dizziness and tinnitus, which were more prevalent in group B. The computerized eletronystagmography revealed that most individuals had normal diagnosis; however, there was predominance of vestibular disorders in the elderly, such as Deficit Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome and Irritative Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome. Conclusion: It was concluded that vestibular disorders, according to vectoelectronystagmography, and complaints of dizziness, tinnitus and hearing impairment, were numerically similar in both studied groups.