Should I be feeling like this?

As so many people are asking "is this normal? Should I be feeling like this?", I thought this list of symptoms as published by the Vestibular Disorders Association might help put your minds at rest. It doesn't mean everyone with experience all the symptoms, although some unfortunates do or have in the past!!! It's important to remember that you CAN and WILL make a full recovery from your balance disorder.

Vertigo and dizziness
▪ Spinning or whirling sensation; an illusion of movement of self or the world (vertigo)
▪ Lightheaded, floating, or rocking sensation
▪ Sensation of being heavily weighted or pulled in one direction

Balance and spatial orientation
▪ Imbalance, stumbling, difficulty walking straight or turning a corner
▪ Clumsiness or difficulty with coordination
▪ Difficulty maintaining straight posture; tendency to look downward to confirm the location of the
ground
▪ Head may be held in a tilted position
▪ Tendency to touch or hold onto something when standing, or to touch or hold the head while seated
▪ Sensitivity to changes in walking surfaces or footwear
▪ Muscle and joint pain (due to difficulty balancing)

Vision
▪ Trouble focusing or tracking objects with the eyes; objects or words on a page seem to jump, bounce,
float, or blur or may appear doubled
▪ Discomfort from busy visual environments such as traffic, crowds, stores, and patterns.
▪ Sensitivity to light, glare, and moving or flickering lights; fluorescent lights may be especially
troublesome
▪ Tendency to focus on nearby objects; increased discomfort when focusing at a distance
▪ Increased night blindness; difficulty walking in the dark
▪ Poor depth perception

Hearing (NOTE: There is NO hearing loss with vn)
▪ Hearing loss; distorted or fluctuating hearing
▪ Tinnitus (ringing, roaring, buzzing, whooshing, or other noises in the ear)
▪ Sensitivity to loud noises or environments
▪ Sudden loud sounds may increase symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance

Cognitive and psychological
▪ Difficulty concentrating and paying attention; easily distracted
▪ Forgetfulness and short-term memory lapses
▪ Confusion, disorientation, difficulty comprehending directions or instructions
▪ Difficulty following speakers in conversations, meetings, etc., especially when there is background
noise or movement
▪ Mental and/or physical fatigue out of proportion to activity
▪ Loss of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem
▪ Anxiety, panic
▪ Depression

Other
▪ Nausea or vomiting
▪ "Hangover" or "seasick" feeling in the head
▪ Motion sickness
▪ Ear pain
▪ Sensation of fullness in the ears
▪ Headaches
▪ Slurred speech
▪ Sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents