Losing Balance while Walking? Causes and its Homeopathic remedies

While walking we tend to have a certain level of balance, with which we are able to walk straight and do not fall. Sometimes, a person may have trouble standing with feet together and walking straight. It may simply be a part of ageing or could be arising from a medical condition. The main problem may lie in the inner ear (vestibular problems). Other causes can include muscle weakness, nerve damage, brain injury and certain neurological disorders.

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathy is very effective in managing complaints of imbalance while walking. These medicines are entirely safe to use with zero side effects as these are prepared from naturally occurring substances. Homeopathic medicines bring excellent results in such cases by aiming to treat the root cause behind it. Homeopathic medicines bring gradual improvement in such cases and results vary from case to case. Homeopathic medicines are recommended for mild to moderate cases. There is no specific medicine in homeopathy for these cases and the suitable medicine has to be selected for every individual case separately after detailed case evaluation based on the characteristic symptom presentation. In some cases, imbalance while walking could point to serious health problems so it is advised to get every case evaluated by a doctor and take medicine under supervision of a doctor. Self-medication should not be done in any case. In case of a serious health issue, like brain stroke, immediate help from conventional mode should be taken.

Homeopathic Medicines For Imbalance While Walking

1. Agaricus

It is a top recommended medicine to manage cases of imbalance while walking. Persons needing it have an unsteady walk and have a tendency to fall frequently. They may have heaviness and weakness in the legs. Numbness in the legs may also be there. There may also be trembling of the legs along with weakness. Electric shock like sensation in the legs may attend.

2. Alumina

Alumina is a well indicated medicine for cases of imbalance while walking along with heaviness in the lower limbs. When walking there is uncertainty in the lower limbs along with weakness. The person requiring it staggers on walking. There is a desire to sit down while walking. There is numbness and stiffness in the legs mainly at night. A tension can be felt in the thighs and legs like a cramp.

3. Gelsemium

This medicine is helpful for cases in which there is imbalance while walking and the person staggers as if he is drunk. There is tiredness in the legs. It feels as if there is less control over muscle movement causing difficulty in standing and walking. A crampy pain in the legs can be felt while walking. Marked dizziness and drowsiness may be present along with above symptoms.

4. Argentum Nitricum

This medicine is effective for cases where legs feel weak and heavy. The sufferer feels as if he has no idea where to put the feet while walking. Staggering (walking in an uncontrolled way as if about to fall) gait is witnessed. There is also stiffness of the legs. Jerks may occur in the toes. Pain may be felt in the calf muscles, especially at night.

5. Conium

Conium works well in cases of imbalance while walking, along with dizziness, vertigo and weakness. There is marked muscle weakness in the legs. It seems as if there is loss of power in the limbs. Turning head sideways while walking worsens the imbalance and may also lead to falling.

6. Lathyrus Sativus

This medicine is useful when there is imbalance while walking along with marked stiffness and rigidity in the legs. Trembling is felt in the legs. Knees may knock together while walking. Cramps may be felt in the legs which get worse from cold. Legs feel cold during the day, while hot at night. There may be loss of muscle mass in the legs.

7. Stramonium

Stramonium can be used when there is unstable walking and staggering along with dizziness. Persons needing it are unable to walk in a straight line. Falling to the left side and backwards is prominent. There may be a feeling that the legs have become longer. A person may suffer from vertigo along with staggering and reeling gait as if drunk, along with obscuration of vision. There may be flickering before the eyes as well.

8. Phosphorus

Phosphorus is another effective medicine for imbalance while walking. There is weakness in the legs with unsteady gait. Trembling may be felt in the limbs. There is difficulty in speech. This medicine is well indicated for managing cases of multiple sclerosis.

Causes Of Imbalance While Walking

1. Problem in the inner ear (vestibular problems): Vestibular system in the inner ear is involved in maintaining balance. If there is some issue in its proper working, it is unable to collect information on motion, equilibrium and position of body, and fails to send proper signals to brain. It can cause a floating sensation.

2. Poor eyesight: It leads to poor focus on things in the surrounding when walking and may lead to imbalance.

3. Muscle weakness, unstable joints and brain injury may also cause imbalance while walking.

4. Nerve damage in legs (peripheral neuropathy): It mostly happens in diabetics though it may arise from some injury, alcoholism or an infection in a person.

5. Multiple sclerosis: It is a disease affecting the brain and the spinal cord. In this condition, the cells of the immune system damage the protective myelin sheath of the nerve fibers which disrupts communication between brain and rest of the body parts. It can lead to unsteady gait along with other symptoms including numbness or weakness in the limbs, tingling sensations, lack of coordination, vision loss, vertigo, weakness, blurred or double vision, slurred speech and cognitive issues.

6. Certain neurological problems, for example Parkinson’s disease, stroke, etc can also cause balance issues. Parkinson’s disease is a disorder affecting the nervous system that usually begins with hand tremors at rest followed by other complaints that include stiffness of the muscles, stooped posture, impaired balance, changes in speech, reduced or no expression on the face, reduced arm swing while walking and changes in handwriting. Another reason could be brain stroke which is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical help. In a brain stroke, there is interrupted oxygen supply to the brain resulting in death of brain cells and loss of brain function. It can cause loss of balance and difficulty while walking along with other symptoms including weakness in the legs, slurred speech, dizziness, weakness in the arms/face and confusion.

7. ALS: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disorder which affects nerve cells of brain and spinal cord leading to loss of muscle control. It causes symptoms like problems in walking, falling and tripping, weakness in legs, feet, hands, problem while swallowing, slurred speech and muscle cramps.

8. Dementia: It affects memory and causes memory loss, which in turn affects thinking and social interaction of a person.  Dementia can cause disorientation, confusion, problem with communication.