You Spin Me Right Round, Baby

I'm not a thrill-seeker. I don't like roller coasters, I would never bungee jump or skydive, and I HATE heights. So imagine being afraid of all those things, and then constantly feeling like you're on ride you can't get off of when all you're doing is sitting on your couch. 

Vertigo is a sensation of spinning and dizziness. People can feel like their heads are spinning or the environment around them is spinning ("I feel like the room is spinning").

I feel like vertigo is one of those symptoms that don't get talked about enough or isn't always believed and taken seriously. Until you've actually experienced vertigo, you can't possible understand how bad it is. Someone once said to me "oh it's not that bad, it's just a little dizziness". Not that bad? Buddy have you ever had to lay on cold tile flooring for hours because you thought your brain was going to jump out of your head? No. Have you ever felt like you entered outer space because you're so disoriented and can't even see straight? Nope. Have you ever had so much nausea and vomiting because you feel like you're stuck on a tilt-a-wheel? I didn't think so. Have you ever been accused of being drunk because you can't catch your balance, you can't walk in a straight line, and it's only 1 o'clock in the afternoon? I bet you haven't buddy. 

Vertigo isn't just being dizzy. You can experience balance and coordination issues, lightheadedness, motion sickness, nausea and vomiting, pressure in the ears, sensitivity to sound and light, and headaches. Vertigo can very difficult to live with and get through. A friend of mine would have to lay on her floor for up to 24-48 hours at a time. She constantly missed work, couldn't drive, and was house bound for long periods of time. Luckily through the right treatment she was able to find some relief, but it can be a long, difficult, and scary process. 

Vertigo can make you feel like you're on a roller coaster at an amusement park and you can't get off. There's no stop button. You have to wait it out and wait for the ride to be over with. 

Vertigo? I'll stick to eating funnel cakes and trying to win a giant bear by wining the ring toss. 






Comments

Popular Posts