Vestibular disorders are relatively common following trauma to the neck or head, including whiplash. Many times, vestibular disorders accompany mild traumatic brain injuries. Vestibular disorders can cause many of the same symptoms associated with mild traumatic brain injury, including teh following: dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, problems with hearing, nausea, fatigue, concentration, anxiety, depression, headaches, slurred speech, trouble focusing, sensitivity to light, poor depth perception, and night blindness.  Symptoms may become obvious days or weeks after the trauma has occurred; however, in many cases, symptoms can be subtle so they may not be fully appreciated for months following trauma.

Doctors use the medical history and findings from a physical examination as a basis for ordering diagnostic tests to assess the function of the vestibular system and to rule out alternative causes of symptoms. These diagnostic tests are designed to evaluate the function and structure of the inner ear and/or brain, and they include hearing evaluations because the hearing and balance functions of the inner ear are closely related. A general physical examination of the ears, head, and neck should be done with special emphasis on tests of balance function. Additional testing is often recommended such as hearing tests, CT Scans, MRI scans, electronystagmography (ENG), and blood tests, with the frenzel goggle test considered the “gold standard” in the diagnosis of vestibular disorders.  In some situations, referral to an ear specialist (otolaryngologist) or neurologist specializing in the inner ear (neuro-otologist) may also be necessary.

Vestibular disorders can deeply affect an individuals daily functions, ability to work, social relationships, and quality of life. According to the Vestibular Disorders Association, the type and severity of symptoms can vary significantly. People with vestibular disorders may be unfairly perceived as inattentive, lazy, overly anxious, or seeking attention. They may have trouble reading or doing simple arithmetic. Functioning in the workplace, going to school, performing routine daily tasks, or just getting out of bed in the morning may be difficult.

The most common vestibular disorders due to trauma are Perilymph Fistula, Brain Injuries, and Benign Paraoxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).

If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of vestibular disorder due to trauma from a car accident or other form of accident, please contact an experienced Wisconsin Vestibular Disorder Attorney.

The description below is written by the publisher Chronic Stimulation, LLC :

Chronic Pain is one of the most pervasive and most costly diseases in the World. Millions of people suffer with chronic pain and its insidious symptoms. For sufferers, it is critical to their medical care that they can effectively communicate the nature of their pain to their doctors. This is a difficult challenge since pain is one of the most subjective and personal experiences humans face.

Chronic Pain Tracker has been designed to improve the Patient-to-Doctor exchange of pain information. Using Pain Tracker, the patient can monitor three key pain metrics: pain intensity, location, and description. Sufferers of Chronic Pain know that each of these metrics can change day to day, or even hour to hour. This can make diagnosis and treatment of pain symptoms more challenging since patients most commonly describe their pain based on their most recent experience rather than using an evaluative process to statistically describe the typical pain symptoms being experienced.

Capturing Pain Data

With Chronic Pain Tracker, the user regularly makes a Pain Entry in the application. Depending on their needs/preferences, this may be once a day, or once every few hours. The entry process is designed to be intuitive and quick, while still capturing the necessary details about their pain. The following data points are captured for each entry:
Timestamp – this date/time marker is automatically generated by the application with no user interaction required.
Pain Level – using the familiar visual pain scale, the user selects their current pain level from 0 to 10
Pain Location – simply tapping on the body sections defines where the pain is being felt
Pain Descriptions – the user can select one or more adjectives in the table that best define the pain they are feeling
General Comments – the user has the option to provide any other details/information desired for the entry

Chronic Pain Tracker Lite is capable of tracking a maximum of 10 pain entries. This would, for example, provide 1.5 weeks worth of daily entries. Download the full Chronic Pain Tracker version for unlimited database entries.

Pain Analysis & Summary

With Pain Tracker, a user can automatically consolidate pain entries for a given time period and statistically analyze those entries. The application includes a series of pre-define reports such as “Last 7 days”, “Last 30 days”, etc. but also allows the user to define their own start and end dates for the analysis.

For more information on Chronic Pain Injuries.

1. Always use the word “new.” “…following the accident, I have a constant new pain…” A description of new pain since the accident, will usually lead the doctor to only one conclusion. The accident caused the new pain.
2. Pinpoint the location. “….at the base of my skull.…” The more precise you can be, the easier it will be for your doctor to make a diagnosis. Describing the exact location can also let your doctor know if it is time to refer to you a specialist.
3. Use strong adjectives. “….a stabbing pain…” The use of strong adjectives by a patient usually ends up in the medical records, which can be of great assistance later on.
4. Rate your symptoms. “…maybe a 6 out of 10…” This provides the doctor with some idea as to the severity of your pain. Later it can be used to determine improvement with treatment, i.e. a decrease in pain from a 9 to a 1 would show improvement.
5. Tell your doctor things you cannot do. If you “can’t lift your child” or you “can’t concentrate at work,” this informs your doctor that your injuries are affecting your life.

For more personal injury advise, order your free copy of the Wisconsin Personal Injury Claims Book.