For me, gardening is the perfect balance of gentle exercise, time well spent outdoors, and the unexpected feeling of joy and pride brought upon by tending and caring for something that produces a tangible benefit, such as beautiful flowers or delicious vegetables. In this post, I’d like to share the benefits I’ve received from my gardening hobby and some tips I’ve discovered in my search for ways to make gardening vestibular-friendly. Why Gardening? One of the many challenges of having a vestibular disorder is getting enough exercise, especially outdoors where there is little to no control over triggering factors. High heat and humidity, allergens, and uneven ground can pose a risk for many, on good days and bad. Though I have always had an interest in plants, my diagnosis of vestibular migraine in the summer of 2020 was what truly drew me to the hobby of gardening. An avid hiker, […]

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VEDA - Published Mon Sep 12 2022 21:06    View Full Story...

Lara’s Story of Learning to Travel with Vestibular Neuritis, Migraine, and pppd Where It All Began I was hit suddenly with my first vestibular condition back in early 2010 turning my world literally upside down.  Unfortunately what proceeded was 2 long years of going back and forth to Drs and consultants to get a concrete diagnosis. I was eventually diagnosed with Vestibular Migraine in October 2012.  Vestibular Migraines were triggered after the birth of my twin girls in 2009. Life got even tougher when I was diagnosed with my 2nd and 3rd vestibular conditions! Vestibular Neuritis in 2013 then PPPD in 2018. The Neuritis was caused by repeated viral attacks and too many antibiotics which damaged my delicate inner ear nerves. I went from a happy, carefree, and life-loving person to a very depressed, anxious, and dizzy mess. Having vestibular conditions is debilitating. The symptoms they cause engulf your daily […]

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VEDA - Published Mon Aug 15 2022 18:32    View Full Story...

By Drs. Michael Teixido and John Carey. Updated June 2022 by Pavan Krishnan, pre-doctorate research fellow at Johns Hopkins Introduction Migraine is a common clinical problem characterized by episodic attacks of head pain and associated symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light, sound, or head movement. It is generally thought of as a headache problem, but it has become apparent in recent years that many patients suffer symptoms from migraine who do not have severe headaches as a dominant symptom. These patients may have a primary complaint of dizziness, of ear pain, of ear or head fullness, “sinus” pressure, and even fluctuating hearing loss. Fortunately, treatment regimens long established for the treatment of “classic” migraine headaches are generally effective against these “atypical” symptoms of migraine. How Common is Migraine? There are currently more than 48 million Americans with “classic” migraine headaches. In a room with 100 people, nearly 17 are […]

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VEDA - Published Thu Jul 28 2022 20:00    View Full Story...

Do what you love Fill your mind with positive insights Create a space to listen to yourself Be creative: paint, draw, color Connect with nature Share your story Listen to music Journal Laugh! Hi, soul! How are you doing? Having a vestibular disorder fills you with disappointment, grief, and anger. You have a mind that wants to do, and a body that wants to do nothing. You can end up with depression, negative thoughts, and feelings of hopelessness. Your brain tells you, “I can’t” and “I’m useless.” You can lose yourself, your soul, and your sense of purpose. Taking care of yourself is a critical part of your treatment plan. It is important to maintain yourself despite how you feel. But, let’s face it, it’s hard to take care of yourself when you are in pain, have brain fog, or when you are spinning and wobbling. Self-care often becomes aspirational […]

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VEDA - Published Thu Jul 14 2022 21:57    View Full Story...

Pregnancy Symptoms or Vestibular Migraine? When a woman with vestibular migraine (VM) embarks on the journey to motherhood, it can be nerve wracking to know if your hormones will affect your vestibular symptoms. So much so, many delay expanding their family until they are in a good place with their health.  I am one of those women. I got sick in 2016 and delayed starting my family for a few years before getting pregnant in 2019 with my son. I knew that I couldn’t get on long-term medication until after I was done with the pregnancy chapter of my life and wanted to be managing my health as best as I could. Luckily, during my first pregnancy I didn’t experience amplified VM symptoms, but I did have Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), which causes extreme vomiting during pregnancy. It was rough, but I was thankful not to be dizzier than usual. However, […]

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VEDA - Published Mon Jul 11 2022 18:13    View Full Story...

For those who love helping others; a gentle reminder to take care of yourselves, too. As a physical therapist and meditation coach in training, I deeply sympathize with the joy that comes from supporting others on their journey, especially when your own life experience inspires you to reach out and lend that helping hand. What wisdom is more valuable than from those who have walked the same path? A fire may ignite within you to spread the insight you have gained through the trials and tribulations of your own experience, as these are things that simply cannot be learned in a textbook and are the most valuable gifts we can offer to those around us. Some of us feel it is almost a duty to help others in their suffering after we have experienced our own, I know I do. I believe this tendency to take our own stories–which might come […]

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VEDA - Published Fri Jul 8 2022 13:57    View Full Story...

The Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) strives to create an inclusive community where everyone feels valued, represented, and respected. We recognize that our community is diverse and so are the needs and aspirations of the people we serve. Practicing understanding and acceptance and embracing diversity will help us plan and deliver programs and services that are relevant, meaningful, and effective in a way that thoughtfully engages and includes individuals and communities who may have been historically excluded. Through refining and piloting this policy in our work, we commit to: Take positive steps to remove systemic barriers and promote inclusion; Achieve improved satisfaction of our work and services; Create a more positive and respectful work and volunteer environment; and Generate better solutions by incorporating diverse perspectives. Individuals and families who are impacted by vestibular disorders are part of a marginalized group, meaning they are sidelined from a healthcare system that is not […]

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VEDA - Published Sat Jun 18 2022 00:28    View Full Story...

Meet David, Vestibular Patient and VeDA Ambassador Vestibular patients like David Morrill may look normal on the outside, but inside they are struggling to maintain their balance, and their sanity. In August 2013, David experienced a sudden onset of vertigo. Doctors later discovered that he had suffered a stroke, which left him with chronic dizziness and imbalance. David was angry and depressed. In addition to losing his balance, David lost his job, his purpose, and his sense of self. “When I first started having my vestibular disorder, I didn’t talk about my problems,” says David. “I didn’t want to be a burden on people.” The fact that most people do not understand or have never heard of vestibular disorders makes it challenging for vestibular patients to share their conditions and get the support they need in their recovery. Have you ever felt like your friends, family, even your healthcare providers […]

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VEDA - Published Tue Jun 14 2022 17:07    View Full Story...

VeDA Partners with French Advocates to Raise Awareness & Expand Access to Information The Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) recently signed an agreement with the Association des Désordres Vestibulaires (ADeV), a newly formed French patient advocacy organization, to further our mutual goal of raising awareness of vestibular disorders and providing support to the French-speaking vestibular community. The concept of ADeV (yes, we know it spells “VeDA” backwards:) began forming when Yannis Benaniba, a vestibular patient residing in France, contacted VeDA’s Executive Director, Cynthia Ryan, asking how he could help support French-speaking vestibular patients. Yannis was inspired by VeDA’s Life Rebalanced Chronicles Docuseries, as well as VeDA Ambassador Johan “The Chappiness Guy”‘s podcast, Find Your Chappiness. He has also connected with Dr. Christian Chabbert, PhD, HDR, founder of GDR Vertige, a vestibular research group based in France. After some collaborative brainstorming, these pioneers decided to create a vestibular patient-focused nonprofit incorporated in […]

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VEDA - Published Mon May 9 2022 17:01    View Full Story...

Danny Burns’ friend, Laurie Savino, was diagnosed with Meniere’s about a year ago. Before COVID, Laurie was a successful New York City real estate agent selling $10 million a year.  As the real estate market dried up during the pandemic, Laurie also began experiencing Meniere’s symptoms. A mere year later, she’d lost most of her hearing, which has recently deteriorated to the point (less than 5% of her hearing remains) that she is eligible for cochlear implants, and she’s scheduled for surgery in a couple of weeks. Danny has been impressed with Laurie’s positivity and energy: she’s still selling real estate and using tools like closed captioning to help her.  He partnered with her to hire a production team to film this mini-documentary documenting her experience. They are generously using this opportunity to raise awareness and funds for VeDA.  Read Laurie’s story, watch her video below, and donate to help vestibular […]

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VEDA - Published Tue Mar 15 2022 14:25    View Full Story...