Rotational Chair

During rotational chair testing, the patient sits in a chair that rotates slowly on an axis. Mercy’s Hearing & Balance Clinic has the System 2000 Comprehensive Rotational Chair model, considered the gold standard for testing patients with dizziness. Infants and younger children may be asked to sit on a parent/guardian’s lap during the testing.

The rotational chair is positioned in an enclosed space and assesses the function of one of the reflex pathways that stabilizes the visual field in response to movements of the head or body.  Movement of the chair stimulates the inner ear balance system and cause reflexive movements of the eyes. The eye movements (nystagmus) are measured by a video monitoring system or using sticker electrodes that are placed on the forehead and near the eyes.

Rotational chair testing may provide additional information to corroborate other test results. Because the testing takes a shorter time to complete and does not require any manipulation of the ear, it is often used diagnostically for children who may be too young to sit for longer test procedures or are more sensitive to having their ears touched.