Vestibular Patient Journey: Insights From Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) Registry Vestibular disorders — conditions that affect the inner ear and brain systems responsible for balance — can be among the most frustrating and life-altering health challenges a person faces. People with vestibular disorders often live with persistent vertigo (a spinning sensation), unsteadiness, imbalance, and dizziness that interfere with everyday activities such as walking, working, driving, or even standing. Despite how common and disabling these symptoms are, vestibular conditions are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, in part because they can appear so differently from person to person and because traditional clinical research has not always reflected patients’ real-world experiences. To help fill that gap, the Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) launched an online Patient Registry to gather information directly from people who live with vestibular disorders — their symptoms, diagnostic journeys, treatments, and quality-of-life impacts. This registry was built to collect […]

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VEDA - Published Fri Feb 20 2026 18:23    View Full Story...

Vestibular disorders affect the inner ear and brain areas that control balance and spatial orientation. They can cause dizziness, vertigo, unsteadiness, and other symptoms that can be confusing and overwhelming.  These conditions are notoriously hard to diagnose because symptoms often overlap between different disorders. For example, someone with Menière’s disease, vestibular migraine, or persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) might all report similar sensations, even though the underlying causes and treatments are different. Traditionally, doctors rely on a combination of patient history, symptom descriptions, physical exams, and special tests to make a diagnosis. This process takes skill, experience, and time—and it’s not unusual for patients to see several specialists before getting the right answer. The Goal of the Study Researchers wanted to see if they could build a machine learning (ML) tool—a type of artificial intelligence—that could help doctors sort through the clues and narrow down the possibilities for six common vestibular […]

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VEDA - Published Mon Feb 16 2026 01:58    View Full Story...

Question: My wife suffers from occasional bouts of intense dizziness and has motion sensitivity. The vestibular nerve got tweaked, and she became totally incapacitated for a long time. She is mostly better now, but things like receiving a massage where she is face down for an hour cause symptoms. I’m looking to understand the vestibular nerve and whether tight muscles, stress, or vertebrae can impact it.  Your question reflects something many families notice after a vestibular injury: even when someone is “mostly better,” certain positions, movements, or physical experiences—like lying face down during a massage—can still bring symptoms back. This can feel confusing and discouraging, so let’s break down what’s going on in a clear, practical way. What does the vestibular nerve do? The vestibular nerve carries balance and motion information from the inner ear to the brain. It tells the brain how the head is moving, where gravity is, […]

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VEDA - Published Tue Jan 20 2026 18:54    View Full Story...

Writing in the Wake How Writing Became My Anchor in a Sea of Uncertainty By Kimberly Warner, vestibular patient and author I’ll be honest, the last thing I wanted to do in the early years of living with Mal de Débarquement Syndrome was write. The constant sensation of rocking and bobbing jumbled my brain, like synapses flooded in stormwater. Words came as fragments, flotsam adrift on a sea I couldn’t steady. Even thinking in complete sentences was a near impossibility. So for three years, I didn’t write anything more than the occasional note-to-self in the margins of my calendar, usually to mark the date of my next doctor’s appointment. At the time, I was looking for rescue, not reflection. Salvation meant finding a cure; I had no desire to lean into this unresolved, disorienting in-between, where process itself becomes the destination. But around year three, a different kind of urgency emerged. […]

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VEDA - Published Fri Jan 16 2026 02:36    View Full Story...

Dr. David Zee, MD, is a pioneering neurologist whose recent generous donation boldly advances VeDA’s medical advocacy programs. As a long-standing member of our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board and now a Trustee, Dr. Zee continues to support VeDA’s mission with profound integrity and vision. Six Decades of Groundbreaking Contributions Dr. Zee’s storied journey at Johns Hopkins began in 1965 as a medical student. After an early immersion in clinical medicine, he devoted nearly 55 years to studying and treating eye-movement and vestibular disorders. His research has profoundly shaped modern neuro-ophthalmology and vestibular medicine. Innovations in the Clinic and Lab Combining bedside observation, animal models, and mathematical modeling, Dr. Zee and his collaborators unraveled complex cerebellar and brainstem mechanisms governing eye movements. Notably, in 1980, with colleagues from Johns Hopkins and the United Kingdom, they identified the first effective pharmacologic therapy for a persistent, pathological nystagmus associated with cerebellar disorders. His co-authored textbook, […]

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VEDA - Published Fri Jan 16 2026 01:47    View Full Story...

Many people know about benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)—a very common cause of brief spinning sensations triggered by changes in head position. BPPV is usually treated effectively with specific head-movement maneuvers (called canalith repositioning maneuvers, or CRMs) that help tiny particles in the inner ear settle into the correct position. However, even after successful treatment, a lot of patients don’t fully feel “normal” again. Instead, they develop ongoing, nonspecific dizziness, unsteadiness, or a general feeling of imbalance that isn’t spinning vertigo and can last for weeks to months. This lingering symptom is known as residual dizziness (RD).  This review article explains why residual dizziness matters and how clinicians can better recognize and help these patients. Researchers note that RD is extremely common. Studies report that about 23% to 70% of people treated for BPPV experience it, showing that this isn’t a rare problem but a frequent and distressing one, that deserves proper attention […]

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VEDA - Published Thu Jan 8 2026 01:11    View Full Story...

“I’ve been doing VRT for two months for vestibular neuritis. My constant vertigo stopped for days, then came back. Why did my symptoms stop and then resume?”  That is great news, good job to you for this achievement! The fact that your constant vertigo stopped for days is a big stepping stone in your recovery. Now, take a deep breath and know that you are not regressing, or causing further harm to your system. What you’re experiencing is very common during recovery from vestibular neuritis, especially when doing Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT). Healing from a vestibular injury can be tricky and challenging to navigate. It isn’t a straight line; it’s more like a winding path with stretches of smooth ground, followed by a few bumps that catch you off guard. Let’s walk through why symptoms often improve… and then flare up again. Recalibration isn’t linear Your brain is still recalibrating. After […]

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VEDA - Published Tue Dec 16 2025 18:27    View Full Story...

This article is adapted from The Great Balancing Act: An Insider’s Guide to the Human Vestibular System, published by Columbia University Press. Copyright (c) 2025 Jeffrey D. Sharon. Used by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved. It’s been said that half of medical school is necessary to learn the art of healing, and the other half is required to master the vocabulary. For me, it’s a love-hate relationship. Some of the terms seem to be overly long and complicated for no reason at all. For example, the general name for my field of medical expertise is “Otolaryngology” (which is synonymous with Ear, Nose, and Throat). The name is too long, too hard to pronounce, too hard to spell, and generally confusing for people. Furthermore, despite its length, the term isn’t accurate. “Oto” translates to “ear,” and “laryngo” translates to throat. That leaves out most of the disease areas under our […]

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VEDA - Published Sat Dec 13 2025 00:38    View Full Story...

Article Summary Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) causes dizziness and unsteadiness that crowds or other busy places can trigger, but it doesn’t involve spinning (vertigo). This condition usually starts after an event that causes dizziness or balance issues, but it can also occur for no apparent reason. Treatment options include medication, balance therapy, and counseling.  History  PPPD was first identified in 1986 by German doctors who called it phobic postural vertigo (PPV). They noticed symptoms like dizziness without spinning and unsteadiness, often triggered by stress or crowded places. At the time, the signs of PPV were thought to include having an obsessive-compulsive personality, feeling a little depressed, and experiencing anxiety.  However, further research on PPV found that it isn’t considered a mental health disorder. Instead, it’s seen as a condition of the inner ear that also involves behavioral aspects. Researchers are also starting to understand how PPPD affects the brain. Studies […]

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VEDA - Published Tue Dec 9 2025 18:54    View Full Story...

What this research is about Ménière’s disease (MD) is a condition affecting the inner ear that causes attacks of vertigo (spinning sensation), fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and ear pressure or fullness. Although it’s been known for many years, its cause remains unclear. This review examines what we know about the genetics of MD—how genes may contribute to the disease—and how that knowledge may help us understand who gets it and how to treat it. Why the genetic approach matters The authors point out that MD is likely a genetic disorder, and environmental factors can trigger the symptoms (like loud noise, infections, autoimmunity, and allergies). Anatomical differences in the temporal bone also suggest a genetic origin. Because we still manage MD primarily by symptom control (diet, salt restriction, diuretics, surgery in some cases), understanding the underlying genetic causes could lead to better, more specific treatments. What genetic studies have found so […]

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VEDA - Published Thu Dec 4 2025 23:41    View Full Story...