Case Study: Discovering and Relieving Causes of Dizziness

Case Study: Discovering and Relieving Dizziness and vertigo are at the top of the list of symptoms that lead individuals to seek medical attention. Some clarification of the differences between dizziness, disequilibrium, and vertigo may be helpful in understanding these symptoms and describing them to a health care provider.

1. Dizziness – often described as “lightheadedness” or feeling as if one is going to faint. Spinning is typically not associating with dizziness.
2. Disequilibrium – a loss or alteration in our sense of balance. Disequilibrium is often associating with the feeling of being on a boat or the effects of alcohol (i.e. drunken gait).
3. Vertigo – derived from the Latin “vertere”, meaning to turn. Vertigo is always associated with a sensation of turning or spinning. This is true whether the individual feels they are spinning or that the room is spinning.

Any of these symptoms can be frightening and debilitating. Dizziness and vertigo have many potential causes. Inner ear disorders, blood pressure issues, medication side effects, anxiety, and brain injury are just a few of the causes of vertigo and dizziness. Symptoms that I have seen in my clients over the years.

Case Study: Discovering and Relieving It is critical for anyone who is experiencing dizziness or vertigo to seek proper assessment and intervention to feel steady once again. Many people walk around for months and even years with mild to severe challenges in navigating their everyday world before getting adequate care. Even when care is sought, vertigo and dizziness often go under-treated because these symptoms are frequently overlooked or dismissed by many providers. Worse yet, they are often improperly treated.

Over the past 15 years in clinical practice, it has been my experience that the vast majority of these cases can be very successfully treated. Let me introduce to you hundreds of cases of dizziness and spinning I have personally worked with that resulted. Please meet Bonnie:

Story: Bonnie was in her mid-50s when she presented to me for generalized dizziness that impacted her everyday activities. Bonnie had become socially withdrawn, could not drive, and had given up her greatest passion in life, knitting. She had been to numerous doctors and placed on the standard medications. Which did not work and tended to make her feel increasingly anxious, nauseous, and withdrawn.

Problem: The moment Bonnie walked through my door I instantly noticed two striking things that spoke volumes about her symptoms. Number one, her eyes jumped all around as she talked to me; number two, she could not walk a straight line. Neither of these issues had been addressing prior to my examination of her. Her inability to perceive the environment appropriately through her eyes. Was aggravating her balance system and causing extreme dizziness, among other symptoms.

Details: Through routine neurological examination and sophisticated testing of eye moments (VNG) and balance (dynamic posturography), it was quickly and easily uncovered that Bonnie had severe deficits in her balance due to the poor feedback from her eyes to her balance system. These deficits were as great as 85% as compared to standardized age and gender matches. It is no wonder she was so dizzy!

Results: Two days into a 5-day course of brain training designed to improve her eye movements and their impact on her balance system, Bonnie began to feel much less dizzy. She reported decreases in her symptoms of up to 75%. Eye and balance re-testing after she completed training revealed no more than 12% deficits in the very functions. To her delight, once the dizziness lessened, Bonnie was able to return to a happy and productive life. That included socializing, driving, and knitting.

Although to Bonnie it may have seemed so, this was no “miracle story.” Her situation was as routine as they come for centers that deal with and understand the brain’s control over movement and balance, as well as the role the eyes and other systems play in maintaining equilibrium. We can only hope that others who are suffering from dizziness or vertigo find such a place for themselves. Case Study: Discovering and Relieving Causes of Dizziness!