What is a Vestibular Disorder?
“The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If disease or injury damages these processing areas, vestibular disorders can result. Vestibular disorders can also result from or be worsened by genetic or environmental conditions, or occur for unknown reasons.” –vestibular.org“
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is a vestibular disorder that causes temporary episodes of disorientation . Think about the scene where Alice becomes larger than life or super tiny. This syndrome gives that same sensation, feeling larger or smaller than reality. This episode can be caused by migraines, EBV, temporal lobe epilepsy, and other unknown reasons. Menieres Disease is an inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo (spinning), hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), severe nausea and loss of balance. Some vestibular disorders may even cause tachycardia and the sensation of having a panic attack.
Amber and Misti have special guest Etta (on Episode 20), where she shares her story. Etta has vestibular migraines, a nervous system anomaly that causes dizziness, brain fog, neck pain, and head pressure. Sometimes several other symptoms are included (numbness), and these symptoms may or may not include the actual headache part of a migraine.
Episode 20:
Helpful Links:
Heal Your Headache by David Buchholz (Book)
Habib Rizk (Otolaryngologist in Charleston, SC)
Etta’s Instagram @vestibularguru
The Dizzy Cook (Diet and Lifestyle for Migraines)
The Invisible Diaries 