Professors Floris Wuyts, balance specialist at the University of Antwerp, and Alfonso Bronstein, a neurologist from the Imperial College in London, have developed a mnemonic to help doctors more easily determine what type of dizziness their patient suffers from.
SO STONED Mnemonic:
- Symptoms: Describe the symptoms. (vertigo, instability, dizziness, drunken sensation, tendency to fall, falling over, etc.)
- Occurrence: How often do the symptoms occur? (Daily, weekly, monthly, irregular, etc.)
- Since: When did the symptoms occur? (Several weeks ago, several months ago, after a flu, after a fall, fifteen years ago, etc.)
- Triggers: What causes symptoms or aggravates them? (Head movements, bending over, looking up, laying down, turning over in bed, walking down the isles of a supermarket, watching vigorous movement, nothing in particular/spontaneously.)
- Otological symptoms: Are there any ear related symptoms possibly accompanied by head symptoms? (E.g. tinnitus, hearing loss, a sensation of fullness in the ear, ear pressure, hyperacusis or sensitivity to sound.)
- Neurological symptoms: Are there any neurological symptoms, possibly accompanied by head symptoms? (E.g. headache, migraine, light flashes, photophobia, phonophobia, difficulties in speech, loss of consciousness, syncope, tingling.)
- Evolution: How did and how do the symptoms evolve? (E.g. worse in the beginning then better, worsening, constant, ups and downs.)
- Duration: How long does the dizziness last? (Seconds, minutes, hours, days, continuously.)
You can contact Floris Wuyts at [email protected].
Many vestibular patients are sensitive to bright lights. The sun’s warm rays cause anguish. Fluorescent lights at work make it hard to focus. The glare from your computer screen is more than just annoying.