Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021 - 23

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Discover More
About Dizziness

Find lots of information about dizziness
and balance problems-including relief
strategies, therapies and personal stories-
on the Vestibular Disorders Association's
YouTube page. Go to youtube.com/
vestibulardisordersassociation.

Travel Without Motion Sickness

Whether you're venturing away from home or driving across town on a
staycation, don't let motion sickness-when movement causes dizziness
and nausea-keep you from making happy memories.
About a third of people are highly susceptible to motion sickness,
although anyone can experience it with enough movement. Motion sickness
is easier to prevent than treat, so if you're heading on a trip this summer,
talk to your doctor about preventive medication and follow these tips from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When traveling by ...

Do this ...

Car

Request a seat up front-or, better yet,
take the driver's seat.

Airplane

Book a window seat over the wing.

Boat

Stay on the deck (rather than going below)
and watch the horizon.

Train

Get a spot by the front of the train and stay
in your seat as much as possible.

says. Still, you should see your
doctor if you think you have it,
because the bacterial variety needs
to be treated with antibiotics.

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

STROKE

Strokes that occur in the brain stem
may not elicit traditional stroke
symptoms. In fact, dizziness with
vertigo may be the most prominent
warning sign, according to the
American Stroke Association. Other
symptoms of stroke in the brain
stem include double vision, slurred
speech and decreased consciousness.
Any sudden dizziness, loss of
balance or trouble walking should

be treated as an emergency, particularly if you have a history of high
blood pressure, because it increases
your risk of stroke.
" If dizziness comes on suddenly,
without cause, and has significant
severity, like you're very dizzy such
that you don't think you could
drive or safely go down the stairs,
that would be cause to seek medical attention, " Bhattacharyya says.
" Sometimes there can be dizziness
with a stroke, so if a patient has any
other neurological symptoms, such
as facial asymmetry, slurred speech
or difficulty speaking, definitely
call 911. "

MÉNIÈRE'S DISEASE

Marked by dizziness, vertigo, hearing loss and a ringing or buzzing in
the ear (called tinnitus), Ménière's
disease is relatively rare, affecting
about 615,000 people in the U.S.,
according to the American Hearing
Research Foundation. It generally is
diagnosed in people ages 40 to 60.
Researchers are unsure what
causes Ménière's disease, but they
know it affects the inner ear.
" The hallmark of Ménière's
disease is a change in hearing
or a temporary loss of hearing, "
says Silberstein of the American
Neurological Association. During
a flare-up of the disease, hearing
may become muffled, and it may
feel as though the ear is blocked.
Eventually these symptoms can
become permanent.
Although Ménière's disease is
not curable, the symptoms can be
managed by taking medication,
limiting salt and caffeine in the
diet, not smoking, participating in
vestibular rehabilitation therapy
and, in rare cases, having injection
therapy or surgery.

BALANCED APPROACH

Often dizziness is harmless, but that
doesn't mean you have to live with
it. Most of the time, dizziness is
treatable, Silberstein says.
" It could be as simple as changing
a prescription or making sure you
eat before taking your medication, "
he says. " So definitely mention it to
your doctor if it's annoying you. " *
VIM & VIGOR SUMMER 2021

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4/28/21 10:34 AM
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021

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