Ask Dr. Yo: why do biological and environmental triggers bring on or worsen my dizziness symptoms?

DISCLAIMER: Please note that Yonit Arthur, The Steady Coach and any of our other guests are not acting as an audiologist nor offering audiology or medical services services or advice on any public videos or on any other content. This channel provides wellness education and personal opinion only, and are not meant to be a substitute for medical or mental health instruction or intervention. Use any tools discussed at your own risk.

[paulaspagnuolo]

Great insights. I think it’s so common to want to look for a trigger that we might easily be able to control. I’m grateful I has seconds thoughts early in my journey on elimination diets. When I realized the process was adding so much stress I abandoned the thought that some specific ingredients etc. were causing my dizziness and am now at a point where I know it wasn’t the case for me.

[daniw.]

I'm so grateful for your insights, they're such good reminders - thank you!

[Overlandwanderers]

Thanks for another great video! Heat, low pressure and menstrual cycle all have a big impact on my symptoms so it’s useful to understand why 🙏

[dianebaldere]

thank you, thank you, thank you so much for explaining this to us!!!:)

[gracemoreno]

This video was incredibly helpful. Thank you. I have been dealing with this for about a year now. Have had and MRI and seeing a cardiologist next week just to make sure my heart is ok but after hearing this, it really hit home. Going to try seeing a somatic therapist. Happy to have heard of you!

[RobKaufmanAuthor]

You're so insightful and intuitive - it's difficult to find someone like you, especially online. As you were speaking about hypersensitivity, I think I had an epiphany. I hid being gay for 28 years - the fight or flight/protection mechanism working 24 hours a day to ensure no one found out who I was. I can only imagine what that did to my young "impressionable" brain that was in the midst of creating neural pathways. Gee, I can't imagine why I'm having dizziness (and other health issues) so much later in life. After a while, it takes its toll — and I'm now paying that toll. If only you were around in the 70s... :) Thank you for helping me open my eyes.

[Megan_Jennifer]

This video is amazing!! Makes so much sense. I still sometimes feel slightly floaty before I eat! I always wondered why. My brain has made an associated hunger with anxiety and therefore symptoms! Great video 😊 thank you. Makes sense why I also feel slightly worse lately before I move house!

[janiceince]

Nail on the head! I have always believed this.. My bucket is so filled right now that it's over flowing.. But this is stress that you can't avoid so what do you do! Thank you for the video....

[stacker]

Weather changes have always affected me, even before pppd, but now tend to be more frequent. I’m finally starting to convince myself that these changes aren’t dangerous, but there’s a ways to go yet. Spring time is the worst. Also eating is a trigger but only at lunchtime at home but nowhere else. Exercise was also a big trigger, but with time it’s become less and less.

[kimfalkingham]

Thank you for another great video Dr Yo! That’s the first time I’ve heard anyone mention worsening symptoms post eating. This happens to me, especially after breakfast, and I always thought I was imagining it. I wonder if you could explain a little more the reason, or is it just a case of more stress on the nervous system? Thank you 😊❤️🇬🇧

[moonbread]

This made me think of when I was 4 and I got scratched by my grandparents' cat and it REALLY upset me. Then over the next few years, my parents and I discovered I had a cat allergy (sneezing, itching, etc). Maybe a stretch, but I honestly wonder whether my allergy developed because I'd been traumatized by my very first experience with a cat? Now ~25 years later, I got to hang out with an awesome cat for a few weeks recently. It was the first time I had ever actually liked a cat, so I gradually began to break my own rule and pet her with bare hands, which normally gives me finger hives. It made me itchy the first few times, but I swear by the 2nd or 3rd week (and as I fell more and more in love with her) I would pet her and barely notice any itching on my fingers! Especially if I wasn't expecting any itching / forgot I had pet her.

[nicholaspurcell]

I was struggling quite badly with headpain & vestibular migraine. But I haven't been dizzy in quite some time. I am however, still struggling with pain on the top and back of my head & my neck is really tight.

Do you think your free course would still be suitable for me? I do I have to still have the dizzyness for it to really work?

[ponygirl]

Hi, thank you for your content, this is very helpful. The one on apathy has helped me so much! I've been doing much better lately but yesterday I got " triggered". Went to a high school football game, it was raining at first and turned off humid. My eyes were watering and the stripes in the metal bleachers really threw me off when walking down the steps. I felt pretty yuk, dizzy, nausea. It went away quickly after getting back to my vehicle though. Maybe I should go " practice" going up and down stairs similar to these or just not focus on it? Another game Thurs night that I definitely don't want to miss!

[kirbywider]

Thank you Dr Yonit!! I was wondering and afraid of why I feel anxiety then lightheaded when I’m at my sons football games as the day gets hotter. I was wondering what was going on with me. Can this get better as I work through your free dizziness course? Also all of my tests/ brain MRI’s and neck X-ray are normal. Cardiologist said my heart function is normal but have PAC’s that the doctor is not concerned about. He said it shouldn’t be causing dizziness? Thank you!!

[Jnviolin]

Hello Dr. Arthur!
I’ve been seeing your videos on YouTube since I’ve developed some weird dizziness post COVID last week… I’ve been desperate and I fear the virus might have damaged my inner ear or something. My symptoms are mostly dizziness episodes that last a couple of hours and sometimes go away but then come back… I suspect it might be emotional dizziness since it magically got better the other night after watching one of your videos. But now I’m again feeling it… I also feel lightheaded, pressure in my temple area, and very heavy eyes. Also I feel as if I’m seeing everything through a glass… My balance is normal, I don’t feel like falling or anything but my head just feels weird.
If the virus really had damaged my ear could I still be able to adapt to this dizziness ever? I am so scared.

[whendv]

I have been pretty good for months still unsteady but not anxious about it too much but then I started fasting and the hunger brought on super anxiety … they said fasting could release more adrenaline… then I got a severe panic attack at work after a dizzy spell. I went for a walk which sometimes stresses me cause I feel like I can’t breathe fully when I got back I stretched and felt really dizzy I sat down for it to pass and it didn’t … then it turned into a huge panic attack at work. Now I feel like I set myself back months and months. I can’t drive after months ago getting back on freeway. So sad about it, I feel defeated.

[catcatcatt]

My brain aneurysm was found on a rainy spring day and now my symptoms flare in spring or in the rain.

[MM-czbt]

Thanks for the wonderful service to PPPD community. Clonazepam does help my nervous system to calm down. I take 0.25 to 0.5mg during working hours. I have taken 1mg to1.5mg of clonazepam in past and was able to taper it to minimum dose of 0.5mg. I seem to have extreme wobble head, swaying as I get up from sitting position. I have heard some nasty stuff about clonazepam but it helps me get through the working day. If you don't mind commenting on clonazepam usage for PPPD patients. Thanks

[hanscastorp]

Hello Doctor. Thank you for your content. I'm a man who suffered from pppd two years ago. I was on medication, did vtr and finally managed to relax and live my life. I got off medicines 6 months ago but now had a major setback. It's been two weeks and I'm spiraling out of control. Even though I know what I have, that there's nothing really to worry about and so on. Would you say that for someone like me only focusing on not caring too much and avoiding slowing down (keeping my routines and so on) can be enough? I feel that if I go back to vtr I'd pay too much attention to my issues. I'm considering medication, but only to break the cycle of worrying too much. Any advice would be great. Thank you.

[yvonnebrewer]

Dr yonit can having a cold make dizziness worse. I have a cold and my dizziness is 100 times worse. I thought it would be the opposite cause it would make my head feel more grounded not more light headed?