You’ve probably discovered that as you’ve gotten older your balance isn’t what it once was. It’s not uncommon for stability and balance issues to occur as you age and in some cases can be a normal part of getting older. But be sure to consider other reasons you may be more prone to instability than before.

An estimated 33.4 million American adults have had a noticeable balance problem or incidence of dizziness that made them feel unsure over the last year, making balance problems one of the most common reasons seniors see their physician. It’s often balance disorders that cause slips, trips and falls that can lead to hip fractures and other related injuries.

It can be a big relief to know that age alone isn’t the only reason you may have experienced balance issues. Sometimes prescribed medications are undermining your stability, which is all the more reason to disclose any and all medications you are taking to your doctor. Possibly it’s as simple as adjusting your medications to find one that will not affect your equilibrium.

Sometimes medications that are prescribed to treat other chronic conditions will have side effects that directly impact your balance. Unfortunately, some necessary medications have deteriorating effects on the inner ear. Changing medications may help stop or lessen the damage but if caught too late those effects may be permanent. So, if you are suffering from imbalance it’s important to get an appointment soon.

While medications may affect everyone differently, there are a handful of them that are prone to affect your balance. If you are taking any medications for the following symptoms you should discuss them right away with your prescribing physician, if you believe there is a potential problem.

The possible culprits include:

• Antidepressants
• Anti-seizure drugs
• Hypertensive drugs
• Sedatives
• Tranquilizers
• Anti-anxiety drugs
• Aminoglycosides
• Diuretics
• Vasodilators
• Certain analgesics
• Certain chemotherapeutics

You likely realize that your diet and lifestyle can play a huge part with anything that relates to your physical wellbeing. For example, if you have Meniere’s Disease, the likelihood of lessening balance and hearing issues could be as simple as managing your diet and cutting as much salt, caffeine and alcohol as possible.

Chances are good that you may experience some wobble as you get older but remember, should an unsteadiness or stability problem arise, communicate it with your doctor and together, you can learn the cause.