Vertigo

[Don Corleone]

Just curious if anyone out there with more of a medical background than I would care to comment. I travel a lot for work, and lately, I've been discovering that the 24-48 hours after I fly, I'm besieged with dizziness and vertigo. It doesn't happen while I'm on the plane, it usually begins about 2 hours after I've been on the ground, and as I mentioned, lasts for usually 1-2 days, sometimes a little longer.

Anyone know what might be causing this and what I can do to make it stop? Never used to happen, and while it's nothing I can't cope with, it is annoying as all hell.

[A.Saturnus]

This is an effect of jetlag. The symptoms can vary greatly. It is caused by disruption of day/night cycle. It should only happen when you fly over several time zones at once. If it happens after shorter flights, something else must be the cause. Maybe a stress reaction.

[Don Corleone]

I think it might be an inner ear disturbance because it happens on flights longer than 2 hours, even if I go North/South. Thanks for the advice on jet lag/time zones though... that would explain why it's worse today than normal. Other than the annoyance of it, though, is there anything to worry about? And how much do I owe for your consulatation? ~;)

[SwordsMaster]

Probably also lack of sleep and the fact that you spend so much time in the same position. Ever noticed that if you stand up quickly after watching tv for a good period of time your body reacts strangely sometimes with dizziness as well.

I would say try to stretch during the flight even gently. You want to stretch your legs as lots of liquid which shouldnt be there.

Also after you arrive try to drink a lot of water and walk (or run, swim, climb a mountain, etc) for a while to get your systems back on line.

[Proletariat]

Could be a slight ear infection or simply wax build up. You'll need 6-8 weeks of in-patient Occupational Therapy.

That will be 12,000 USD, thank you.

[A.Saturnus]

Probably also lack of sleep and the fact that you spend so much time in the same position.

That shouldn't cause symptoms for 1-2 days.


I think it might be an inner ear disturbance because it happens on flights longer than 2 hours, even if I go North/South. Thanks for the advice on jet lag/time zones though... that would explain why it's worse today than normal. Other than the annoyance of it, though, is there anything to worry about?

If you have a suspicion that it might be an ear infection, you should visit a doctor. Ear infections can have nasty long-term effect.
With normal jetlag, you just have to live with. Exposure to natural light helps somewhat, I've read.


And how much do I owe for your consulatation?

The extra 'a' is already too much ~;)

[Don Corleone]

Thanks. It's actually somewhat better today, and when I first woke up, I thought it was gone. I'm hoping it will be tomorrow.

I don't think it's an inner ear infection, because I don't get earaches, or elevated temperatures. I think either I have a lesion in there that allows the balancing fluids to behave differently under pressure then they're supposed to or something like that.... maybe too many air bubbles in there. I was thinking about contacting my physician, but it's such a pain in the ass to get in to see him in the first place, and it'll probably be gone by the time I go see him.

[Laridus Konivaich]

Is it a pain to see the physician? Or do you say that it is a pain because you don't want to see them? :bow: