Hi, I'm wondering if there's anyone besides me that says that dizziness and vertigo are not the same thing. I had a really bad vertigo attack at work, complete with the vomiting. I needed a co worker to drive me home. I was sitting in her car, puking into a bucket. She was well aware of how debilitated I was. The next day I thanked her for her help and she said, " that's ok, I know what it's like. I get dizzy if I stand up too quickly". Huh? I tried to tell her it was vertigo and not "just" dizzy, but she didn't get it. I guess I'm just venting and looking for validation.
Dizzy is like when you get off an amusement ride. You are spinning. As in being drunk. Vertigo is when everything around you is spinning. That's how I've always thought it was.
Sorry, I can't really relate to your reply as I don't get drunk. My point was that getting momentarily dizzy when you get up quickly can't compare to vertigo that is debilitating accompanied by vomiting, going on for hours. My vent is over! ☺️
You are 'so right' Melc! Folks just 'don't understand' if they have never had 'vertigo', that it's not 'dizzy' like when you get up too quickly! I have heard that so many times--when someone would ask how I was feeling. And even close friends and family, unless they have witnessed it or had it themselves don't truly understand. But--no one understands what it's like to have cancer or lose a child and we certainly don't want them to experience it to 'understand' how we feel. We just do our best to 'explain how vertigo feels' and go on. I usually say to them--'no, and you don't want to experience it--but it's not 'dizzy', it's everything around you spinning! I have had folks who did have it after hearing about my issues, come to me and say--'I don't know how you have lived with this for so long'--'I thought I'd die' or words to that effect. So, we have to keep getting the message out--and hoping one day a 'cure' for this will be found so no one has to experience it.
Yes vertigo is when.the room.Is spinning. Some.people.Don't get it it unless.they experience it. And I.am.sure wish they would. Vertigo is also like fine wine there is a million varieties. Different speeds and ctirections. Real fun.
Melc - I think it is hard for others to understand. They don't realize the difference. I will share a story with you. Several times I had to be driven home from work because of a vertigo attack. For me while I can't walk straight I can stay upright - so coworkers may not have realized that when I say room whirling like a merry-go-round on crack for hours didn't hit home. BUT there came the day when a coworker drove me in my car with someone following. I was working to not puke and just as we got in front of the garage I thought I would be sick. I told him to stop the car. I opened the door and jumped out quickly and then stood upright. Bad idea. World whirling and changing position so quickly - I went steps one way then other as I tried to find my footing and figure out where I was/what was going on. I ended up crashing against the side of the house. Once "still" I was able to get myself back into the house. Next day I go into work and the two that drove me home apologized. They said that they knew I said I was dizzy but they didn't realize how bad it was until they saw what happened - and it was so quick it wasn't like something that they could have helped. They never "discounted" what I was going through but had no way to comprehend.
I've had similar experiences, nicmgr. My kids and husband have seen it at it's worst. My mother in law did once. I'm not sure anyone can get it unless they either witness it or experience it. I have more than once crawled or scooted from one room to the other because I couldn't stand or walk and my kids couldn't help me. One of the worst was when my husband had to carry me to the truck to take me to the ER. I had been throwing up for quite some time and it just wouldn't stop. Between the vomiting and the spinning I couldn't stand much less stand and move at the same time. Definitely not something I'd wish on my worst enemy.
One way to assist their understanding of vertigo is to sit them in an office swivel chair and then spin it round fast 20 times. Then ask them to carry out a rudimentary task like answering the phone.... I offered this service (completely free of charge) to co-workers, but no one ever took me up on it. Strange but true?...
Moodymom (and others of course) I think that unless someone has gone through it or saw it at the worse they would not be able to "get" it. And I think in many ways we each contribute to that - I know I do - I work so hard to not let people see how bad it is, to compensate in any way possible, to be "strong" that in fairness to someone else how could they truly get how bad it is. I know that this thing was the most humbling for me as I realized that sometimes i can't do it all, I can't control everything. It also opened my eyes to see that when I need help many people around me step up without question, no judgement. Reality is that all of the explanation can't truly help someone understand. Even spinning in a chair for a minute doesn't give someone the picture...because a minute is NOTHING. It is 30 min of constant spinning leading to puking, it is an hour-two-three and more of being helpless as the room spins. Miserable because it is making you want to puke - even when there is nothing left to come up. In tears because you know moving to puke now makes everything spin even more....a true circle of pure misery.
Thank you all for your input. I feel validated. It's sad that we have had the experience of true vertigo so that we Can distinguish vertigo from dizziness. Scott Tom, yes I agree . It's very frustrating to have to deal with a physician who doesn't know the difference.
It's interesting contrasting dizziness and vertigo. My experience may be different from others, but I used to get the violent vertigo - hours of vomiting, sweating profusely, unable to stand or even crawl, even had a drop attack during one of those episodes. I could get it weekly, monthly or even have it go for six or more months before returning. But in between those bouts I did not have any balance issues. Now I get vertigo rarely. But the disease progression in my case has me getting dizzy - probably better described as a feeling of disequilibrium - all the time. And of course the constant nausea and brain fog. So much so, I began wishing for the old vertigo days because at least I had a lot of symptom free days in between some really nasty attacks. Of course, I got a bad vertigo attack a couple of weeks ago and I've changed my tune on wanting anything to do with that. I guess what I am saying is that I can convince people what a bad vertigo attack is really like - maybe telling them I split my esophagus after vomiting for 6 hours and blood was coming out of my mouth like a fire hydrant gets the difference across. I find it more frustrating living in disequilibrium and having people wonder why I stopped engaging in activities like I used to. Things are looking up for me though as I am back on JOH in earnest and have commenced 3,000mg per day of valacylovir and have had three straight days of little or no nausea.
Interesting thread. Of how people perceive and talk about vertigo vs dizziness. And its always kind of funny how people say the room spins. Vertigo is definitely the room spinning variant of it all and is caused by a vestibular or central brain disturbance. It is when there is some "movement" i.e. spinning reported. It can also be floating or another movement sensation. Often accompanied by vomiting and sweats. Posts above describe it very accurately. We all know things are really not moving. So why do people say the room spins? It of course if actually nystagmus. The eyes are moving not the room. During a severe spell (that can last many hours) most patients can lightly put their fingertips on the closed eyelids and feel the jerking of the eyes. The jerk moves in a direction toward the offending ear. Usually you have to just ride it out. But many report that attacks are shortened and less severe if you can take a vestibular depressant at the onset of an attack. Dissolvable Xanax is usually the treatment of choice. But you have to act quickly otherwise once vomiting begins its too late to take any mediations orally. The most often asked question is what is the underlying cause? If it has been determined that its a vestibular event (central brain issues have been ruled out) and its more of a Menieres categorization many want to know why it happens. What causes the eyes to move violently and create such a medical event that is simply horrid for anyone to have to endure. The answer that receives the most support is a plumbing problem. The inner ear has two chambers that house separately the hearing and balance function. (a lot is happening in a very small space). Each chamber is filled with fluid. Each have very different PH levels. One acidic and one alkaline. When the chamber bursts or there is a breach. The fluid mixed and the balance receptors go into total chaos. And quickly send vestibular misinformation to the brain. That is a vertigo attack. The other undesirable impact is that the hearing receptors also get a dose of the wrong Ph. But the alkaline does not damage them and cause the erratic chaos that the balance function receives during this temporary event. But over time it does result in hearing loss. And is why people with Menieres deafness have lost their hearing. Its is damaged just a little bit more at the moment of each "attack". So its all related. So how is this different than dizziness? The answer is they are similar. Dizziness is the inability for the eyes to track head movement. There too there is some vestibular or central brain misinformation being processed but not the plumbing problem described above. A good example is BPPV where crystals or rocks are floating inside the inner ear and create an electrical impulse that give a very brief fleeting burst of nystagmus. But no matter the underlying cause of dizziness it is always rooted in misinformation to the brain. And how the eyes and brain work in unison. Or lack thereof with dizziness. Key always being trying to understand the exact cause. And therefore receive proper treatment. Unlike vertigo dizziness usually has a lower grade nausea and is more life disruptive vs life disabling. Hope this helps. Good thread. Peace S
sjw111, Thanks for your explanation. In my case I lost my my hearing permanently prior to any vertigo. The aural fullness and hearing loss were my first symptoms. It was months of sporadic dizzy spells, then one day it escalated into a full blown 12 hour vertigo spell, complete with vomiting. The difference between dizziness and vertigo was very clear to me at that point. I wonder what caused my hearing loss.
Sjw111, That was one of the best explanation I've ever read. I'm going to print it and put it with all my research I carry with me to Drs offices. Melc, I'm sorry you're going through this. As you can see there are many, many others here with the same experiences.
Melc: That is a good question. I am bilateral. On ear #1 it progressed pretty traditionally....some fullness and noise then vertigo....over time slowly lost hearing. Hearing cells are usually more resilient ....often why vestibular burnout (vertigo stops) occurs first then hearing loss continues but not always. Then had a laby in that ear so I lost it all then. On ear #2 I am more like you. Some fullness and noise....gradual hearing loss....then later the vertigo started. Hearing continued downward to full deafness. Now I am deaf in both ears. But for me I believe that the underlying cause was fundamentally the same. Mechanical changes in the ear and hair cell death (both hearing and balance) seem to always occur. The order and exact nature I think can vary since no two ears and chambers etc are exactly the same. Bumble Bea: If you show this to a doctor he/she will probably smirk like mine and you will hear that no one knows the exact etiology. They are probably right. Like you said the info above was the best explanation and most consistent one I have heard over my 35 year history. Ive been to all of the best dizzy balance docs in the country. I hear it from those providers I now trust the most. It also helps to have a explanation that actually makes some sense. So good stuff for me. But caution that your doc will probably waive it off. Peace S
Melc and BB i forgot to say that my hydrops (membranes become dilated and/or rupture) explanation is pretty old school thinking. Today its known via autopsy that some people with Menieres do not have hydrops. So there must be something more than just plumbing. So now lots of chatter about immune disease (especially in bilateral), head injury, viral, etc. But we remain without any true clinical evidence of cause or consistent therapy. So we still just don't know what its all about. Be wary of anyone who says they hold the holy grail. Just no evidence to support any specific treatment or regimen that you hear at the docs office or of course on this site. We continue to just treat it one case at a time and focus on control of symptoms. Good luck.
Sjw111, Once again thank you. Your replies are very helpful . I had a concussion due to being hit on the head, same side as bad ear, while playing slow pitch a few years before the sudden onset of hearing loss and fullness. I often wondered if that could have been the cause, but thought too much time between injury and symptoms. I guess it really doesn't matter what the cause is, but I'm curious like that. An oto once told me there can be 20 different things that can go wrong in the inner ear and they will all manifest with the same symptoms so it's difficult to know the cause. At the time I thought it was a cop out answer. Now that I've mellowed a bit, maybe there is something to that. I admire you. You are deaf in both ears, yet don't complain. You are here to help others. Thanks for that.
S, I concur with BumbleBee as that was one of the best explanations of what is going on in my ear that I have ever heard. I, too, will be copying it and sending it to some of my family and friends that struggle to understand what this disease is about. Thanks.
Im back. I wont keep hijacking this thread I promise. If you need to send to family I recommend the following. I am suspecting you have read everything like we all have. But this explains in detail your condition and my family appreciated reading it. Also in the article you can click on many links and drill down even further. I can't think of a better primer than this for anyone with Menieres especially if they take time and follow all of the links. Here you go... http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/menieres/menieres.html Good luck to all s