What could my symptoms mean?
Tell us what you're feeling and see what your body might be saying — and what to ask next.
Maldek · Symptoms · rev · fwd
Dizzy
Dizzy is not one symptom, it is three. VERTIGO: the room spins — an inner-ear or brain problem. PRESYNCOPE: you almost black out — a blood-flow-to-brain problem. DISEQUILIBRIUM: you are unsteady on your feet — a nerve, joint, or medication problem. The whole workup depends on which one the patient actually means.
Symptoms · forward + reverse · what + why
Forward: the diagnosis predicts the findings. Reverse: the findings reveal the physiology.
Forward · expected findings + mechanism link
- 1
Red flags that scream brain: vertigo PLUS double vision, slurred speech, trouble swallowing, weakness, numbness, a new bad headache, or inability to walk at all
why · Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
- 2
Sudden deafness with vertigo also escalates
why · Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
- 3
New chest pain or palpitations with near-fainting escalates to the heart pathway
why · Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
- 4
Everything else can be worked up calmly
why · Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
Deterioration arc · if untreated
- ↓ 1.
Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
This is where the trouble starts.
- ↓ 2.
The body fights back, then stops working.
If compensation fails, organ injury is next.
- ↓ 3.
Ask the one question that sorts it: 'When you are dizzy, does the world SPIN, do you feel you might FAINT, or are you just UNSTEADY?' Then time it: seconds with head position change = BPPV.
Treatment is aimed at the broken step.
⚠ Red flags · escalate immediately
- •
Vitals may look good while compensation holds
Stop and escalate — the patient is moving past compensation.
- •
Once reserve is consumed, deterioration is fast — the team that recognized the cluster early already has a plan running
Stop and escalate — the patient is moving past compensation.
Reverse · findings → physiology chain
- 1
Red flags that scream brain: vertigo PLUS double vision, slurred speech, trouble swallowing, weakness, numbness, a new bad headache, or inability to walk at all
Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
- 2
Sudden deafness with vertigo also escalates
Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.
- 3
New chest pain or palpitations with near-fainting escalates to the heart pathway
Spinning vertigo comes from mismatched signals between the inner-ear balance organs and the brain — usually loose crystals in the ear canals (BPPV), inner-ear inflammation, or Meniere disease; rarely a posterior stroke.