People who come to the Balance + Concussion center most often complain about feeling dizzy.  But what exactly is dizziness?  The term “dizzy” is a general term that, by itself, does not tell us much about what a person is feeling.  Instead, we encourage our clients to share with us more descriptive terms of how they are feeling.  Believe it or not, finding out how someone describes their symptoms can often be enough information for us to determine the source of the problem.  When talking to us or any other healthcare provider about your dizziness, try to include the following information:

How would you describe your dizziness without using the word “dizzy”?

Using terms such as spinning, lightheaded, or off-balance is a great way to share how you are feeling in a more specific way.

Are your symptoms constant or do they come and go?

Some people feel continuous symptoms of movement, be it spinning, swaying or being “off-kilter.”  Other people may feel fine most of the time and only have bouts of dizziness that lasts seconds to minutes at a time.  On occasion, people have episodes of more serious symptoms with more mild symptoms of being “off” between each symptom flare.

What makes your symptoms better or worse?

This is a big one!  Be mindful of your dizziness and pay attention to the things that aggravate it and make it feel better.  Perhaps you only notice your symptoms when you are working on your computer or maybe being in a busy store increases your symptoms.  Maybe the only symptoms  you notice are first thing in the morning when you roll to your side to get out of bed.  The more information you can share with your healthcare provider, the easier it is for them to help you!

Do any other new symptoms accompany your dizziness?

Does your dizziness come along with any other symptoms such as ringing in the ears, headache, nausea, vomiting, or blurred vision.  

Many of our clients think that sharing this information makes them sound crazy, but let us assure you that it does not!  Every bit of information that you share can help us determine why you are dizzy and how to work with you to get you feeling better!  As always, we are always here and happy to answer your questions about dizziness.