Dizziness Depot

We have previously discussed the association between hearing loss and falls but it seems new data is emerging regularly on this topic, likely given the magnitude of this societal problem. Hearing loss is prevalent, with an estimated 15% of American adults reporting some difficulty hearing. The prevalence of hearing loss also increases significantly with advanced aged. Sensorineural hearing loss is

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) has a recurrence rate estimated between 15% and 40% within one to two years after an initial episode. While many patients respond well to canalith repositioning procedures (CRPs), a smaller subset experiences more frequent recurrences. Understandably, these individuals often ask what they can do to prevent future episodes. This post explores several actions patients can

Falls are a burgeoning societal problem, and much effort is being made to reduce falls. The risk for falling increases with advanced age, with nearly 1 in 4 individuals in the US over the age of 65 reporting a fall every year. Falls can lead to injury, activity limitation, economic burden and even death. Falls are the leading cause of

Symptomatically, Vestibular Neuritis (VN) typically presents as sudden onset spontaneous acute vertigo, often associated with nausea and vomiting.  The vertigo typically lasts for a minimum of several hours to sometimes days.  While the intensity of the symptoms can be exacerbated by movement, they are not resolved by lying or sitting still in the first 24 hours, which differentiates VN from

Editor’s Note: This blog was written by Carrie Nuss, BS. Carrie is a fourth -year AuD student at the University of Louisville, doing a vestibular (among other things) residency at Atrium Wake Forest Medical Center. –Alan Desmond, AuD by Carrie Nuss BPPV is common, bothersome, potentially disabling, but generally quickly resolved once a specific diagnosis has been established.  The gold

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