The issue of loss of balance is one I struggled with for quite some time before my recent cervical 2 level adr surgery. (I also have lumbar pathologies, not yet warranting surgery as of review of 2/08 MRI).
I would be concerned that your sudden balance problems are not necessarily due to your lumbar issues. Although they could be from anything from inner ear problems to spine,I would be inclined to have an MRI of the rest of your spine, especially cervical. Here's an excerpt from a book that I highly recommend as a wealth of info written by a surgeon("Do You Really Need Back Surgery?-A Surgeon's Guide to Neck and Back Pain and How To Choose Your Treatment-by Aaron G. Filler,MD,PhD,FRCS):
"One of the other very early signs of myelopathy is balance failure. The tests for this are a little bit like what a police officer uses to test a driver for intoxication, such as walking heel-to-toe along a straight line, or standing with feet together, arms in front, and eyes closed, which can lead to unsteadiness." The biggest concern he states is that "the spinal cord very often makes little recovery after the relief of pressure."
Try the tests. When I did pre-surgery, I couldn't believe how little balance I had. I couldn't take two heel-to-toe steps with my eyes closed without falling sideways.
Since my surgery, I've improved considerably though not completely yet. If you can get to a good neurologist for a thorough exam, tell them about your balance issues.
Good luck and enjoy Hoppy Bunny Day!
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