Dizziness Depot

Vestibular schwannoma, also known as acoustic neuroma, refers to a benign tumor that arises from the Schwann cells or nerve sheath on the vestibulocochlear nerve. For consistency and brevity, I will refer to these tumors as VS for the remainder of this blog. Other masses can occur within the internal auditory canal, however, VS are the most prevalent and for

Since the writing of my previous article about Meniere’s Disease in 2014, I had not experienced a Meniere’s episode for eight and a half years. Not even one symptom of hearing loss, tinnitus, recruitment, dizziness, or nausea had been present. I firmly believe that Meniere’s episodes occur based on food and beverage consumption. In May of 2022, I violated my

Most vestibular disorders cannot be diagnosed by testing alone. With the exception of BPPV, patient’s test findings must be placed in context with the medical history and symptoms. Some common disorders, such as vestibular migraine, suffer from no diagnostic tests, and diagnosis is primarily based on patient report of symptoms.  Financial pressures which affect both generalists and specialists alike, have

Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) is a French term that is utilized to describe a chronic vestibular disorder where individuals feel as if they are almost constantly rocking or swaying.  Additional symptoms can include fatigue, spatial disorientation, visual motion intolerance, headache, and anxiety. The name, when translated to English, means “sickness on dis-embarkment”. The condition is often triggered by traveling

In the Fall of 2017, I experienced an episode of acute right vestibular neuritis (VN). I joke that I likely have the most well documented case of VN on record. I am often the first live patient most of our students test as I am a willing example of “abnormal.” Seven years later, my permanent vestibular dysfunction has faded to

I recently read an article from the New York Times about individuals experiencing persistent dizziness symptoms after an earthquake. This is not something I have encountered at a clinical level, but I found it interesting. It seems unlikely that an earthquake would directly cause an organic issue with vestibular system without any physical trauma involved. It would, however, seem plausible

I am a “late career” audiologist that specializes in vestibular disorders. It is never boring, as each patient brings with them some mystery, some challenge. There is little that is more rewarding than solving that mystery in a patient that has given up hope after months or years of symptoms with prior incorrect diagnosis and ineffective treatments. On the other

Falls are the leading cause of injury related death in adults 65 or older. In the United States, around $50 billion is spent annually on medical care related to falls in older adults. Data from the World Health Organization estimates that more than 680,000 people die and 172 million suffer from falls related disabilities annually worldwide. Hearing loss is also

Vestibular disorders are amongst the most common causes for dizziness accounting for around 40% of all dizziness. In recent years it has become apparent that vestibular migraine is one of the most common vestibular disorders and may even be the most common cause of recurrent episodic spontaneous vertigo. There is not a diagnostic test for vestibular migraine and the diagnosis

Ménière’s disease continues to mystify even the most the most seasoned practitioners. If you put 10 specialists in a room, you will likely get 10 or more opinions about the cause and most effective treatments for Meniere’s disease (MD). In fact, one recent 2019 survey of patients with a diagnosis of MD found 24 different treatments, all with similar efficacy.1