Videonystagmography/Electronystagmography (VNG/ENG)
About
The VNG/ENG is a battery of tests considered by many to be the gold standard for vestibular assessment. Our state-of-the-art equipment can capture even the most subtle eye movement abnormalities, many of which would go undetected during a bedside evaluation.
It is a 1-hour comprehensive test of balance function. In order to monitor your eye movements, we will ask you to wear a pair of goggles or place sticker electrodes around your face throughout the testing.
What to Expect
- Oculomotor testing: During the first part of the test, you will be asked to follow a light from side-to-side and up-and-down.
- Positional testing: Here, we are looking for any abnormal eye movements with changing head and/or body position. You will be asked to turn your head to each side and sit-up for 30 seconds.
- The Dix-Hallpike Maneuver: During this part of the test, we are looking for positional vertigo. You will be asked to lie flat on your back with your head extended in one direction. This will be repeated with your head extended in other direction.
- Caloric Testing: The last part of the test involves putting warm and cool water into your ears. The water will stream into your ears for 25-30 seconds and will immediately come out into a basin. This may cause some dizziness, however, it will not last. This is an important part of the assessment as it tests the balance system of each ear separately so that we can compare the intensity of the response from each side.
Please note: dizziness from this test typically subsides within a very short period of time and most patients feel well enough to drive themselves home. As a precaution, we recommend that you ask a friend or family member to drive you to the appointment in case the dizziness takes a bit longer to subside.