About 15 percent of American adults have problems with their balance. Even children are not exempt, with about 5 percent suffering from dizziness. What causes dizziness, and what can be done about it?

Dizziness is a terrible term because it doesn’t actually tell the doctor what the patient is feeling. It would be better to say whether the world is spinning; or you feel light-headed, as though you might faint; or you feel completely out of balance, as though you might fall (without fainting). These could all be referred to as dizziness, but they have different causes.

One of the most common causes of vertigo–a sensation of spinning–is the onset of a migraine. People don’t always get the headache, or if they do, they might not realize that their headache is a migraine. But treating or preventing the migraine can be very helpful for this problem. Here is the Migraine Elimination Diet that Dr. Kaylie referred to during the show.

Migraine Diet

This condition with the long and complicated name is the most common cause of balance difficulties. In it, the tiny crystals in the inner ear become unmoored and move out of place. What triggers that, and how can it best be treated? Who is most susceptible to BPPV and how is the diagnosis made?

What is Meniere’s disease and who is most likely to be affected? What can be done to correct this condition?

Dr. Kaylie recommended betahistine, but since it is not approved by the FDA, it must be compounded.

Dr. David Kaylie will be in our studio to answer your questions about balance disorders from 7 to 8 am on April 7, 2018. Have you been diagnosed with otoliths? Do you take a medication such as gentamycin that can cause dizziness? Give us a call to learn what you can do about dizziness: 888-472-3366 or email us: [email protected]

David M. Kaylie, MD, FACS, is Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University Medical School. He is also Medical Director of the Duke Vestibular Disorders Clinic, the Duke Otolaryngology Clinic and the Duke Skull Base Center. Dr. Kaylie’s research interests are in balance disorders after cochlear implant surgery as well as hearing preservation in skull base surgery. He serves on several committees of the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free.

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