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Prevalence & Overlap in Dizziness Symptoms
Am J Med; ePub 2017 Jul 21; Kerber, et al
Among US adults with dizziness, substantial overlap of dizziness types exist, a recent study found. The 2008 US National Health Interview Survey was examined for prevalence and overlap of types of dizziness in adults, with a separate analysis among those who otherwise had typical features of traditionally vertigo-based disorders. Researchers found:
- 33 million US adults, or approximately 15% of the adult population, had problems with dizziness in 2008.
- The mean number of dizziness symptoms was 2.4, with 61% reporting >1 type.
- Of those who otherwise had typical features of traditionally vertigo-based disorders, the mean number of dizziness types was 3.1 and only 24.6% reported vertigo as the primary type.
Citation:
Kerber KA, Callaghan BC, Telian SA, et al. Dizziness symptom type prevalence and overlap: A US nationally representative survey. [Published online ahead of print July 21, 2017]. Am J Med. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.05.048.
It has impressed me for years that patients often do not use classic descriptions of the “room-spinning” or themselves spinning when presenting with symptoms consistent with vertigo. This study supports that clinical observation—that people who present with disorders that make them feel dizzy or lightheaded interpret and describe those symptoms in very individual ways. It was impressive that spinning or vertigo was not the primary description even in patients with benign paroxysmal vertigo. The take home point here is that when we evaluate patients who present with dizziness, we should not put too much emphasis on their description of their dizziness. We should instead take the entire clinical picture, including what movements provoke the symptoms and how long the symptoms last for, as important clinical distinguishing points, perhaps more important than the description of the dizziness itself. —Neil Skolnik, MD