How to get the most from your dizziness appointment
Here are some questions that will help make the most in your appointment for dizziness.
Have you had one or multiple episodes of dizziness?
When did the dizziness problem begin?
Are you dizzy right now?
Are you always dizzy or have you had periods of normal balance (no dizziness) since the first episode? (That is, do you have episodic or chronic dizziness)
What were you doing at the time of the first dizziness episode?
Did your dizziness problem occur after head trauma? Yes No
Did your dizziness problem occur after a change in medication: antibiotics, drugs for high blood pressure, diabetes, high lipids, heart rhythm problem? Yes No
Did your dizziness problem occur during an infection: fever, headache, ear pain? Yes No
How long does a dizziness episode last?
How frequently does the dizziness occur?
What triggers the dizziness?
• Is it triggered by specific head movement: lying down, rolling over, bending over, looking up? Yes No
• Is it triggered by changing to an upright position: lying-to-sitting, sitting-to-standing? Yes No
• Is it triggered by non-specific or all positions of head movements? Yes No
• Is it triggered by pressure change: e.g., cough-sneeze, heavy lifting, Valsava, fast elevators, airplanes, scuba diving, loud sounds? Yes No
What makes the dizziness better?
How would you describe the dizziness sensation?
Spinning / About to black out or pass out / off kilter / leaning to one side / other:
Have you fainted or passed out during a dizziness episode? Yes No
Have you had hearing loss occurring simultaneous to your dizziness episodes?
No / Yes, on the right / Yes, on the left
Have you had tinnitus (noise in the ear) occurring simultaneous to your dizziness episodes?
No / Yes, on the right / Yes, on the left
Describe the sound:
Have you had hearing loss occurring simultaneous to your dizziness episodes?
No / Yes, on the right / Yes, on the left
IF yes, did the hearing loss develop gradually or suddenly?
IF yes, did the hearing loss subsequently improve?
If so, how long did your hearing loss last?
Have you had drainage from your ear canal along with your dizziness episodes?
No / Yes, on the right / Yes, on the left
Have you had ear pain simultaneous to your dizziness episodes?
No / Yes, on the right / Yes, on the left
Since the problem began, have you experienced fluctuations in the following:
Hearing? Yes No
Tinnitus? Yes No
Ear fullness feeling? Yes No
Have you had any neurologic symptoms occurring simultaneous to your dizziness episodes?
If yes, describe them:
Associated with the onset of the dizziness, have you had any associated neck problems?
Neck pain?
Limited neck range of motion?
Neck arthritis?
Associated with the onset of the dizziness, have you had any migraine symptoms?
Visual:
Scotoma (a partial loss of vision or blind spot in an otherwise normal visual field
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light
Flashing lights or shimmering spots
Tunnel vision
Distortion of vision (e.g., seeing objects as wavy or double)
Desire to lie down in a dark, quiet room?
Sensitivity to loud sounds?
Nausea?
Associated with the onset of the dizziness, have you had any cardiovascular symptoms?
Shortness of breath
Chest Pain
Have episodes of dizziness been preceded by stress, anxiety, or certain unpleasant situations? Yes No
Bring with you any potentially relevant healthcare information. If you have seen anyone else for this or a related condition, the reports and images from prior work may well not be readily available to Dr. Lansford during your visit, unless they are from Christie Clinic, Carle, or OSF.
Unless they are coming from Christie Clinic, Carle, or the OSF system, please hand-carry to your appointment the following items:
Any prior operative or clinic notes relevant to this condition
Any prior hearing tests (audiograms)
Any prior balance testing reports (such as a VNG)
Any prior head imaging (CT or MRI) for this problem
You can get these from the medical records department of the hospital or clinic where you were seen previously.
Bring a list of your current medications (prescription and non-prescription) and their doses. If it is easier, you could bring in your current medications.
Bring your photo I.D., your medical insurance card and be prepared for your copay.
Also, in case you have to wait, it is a good idea to bring with you something to do, such as your phone or a book. Bring a notepad and paper if you might wish to take notes. Bring a family member or friend if you wish to have another “set of ears."