Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist
Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Diagnosing dizziness and its cause may be delayed or missed because the dizziness may not be severe or consistent enough for a person to seek medical care. In addition, diagnosing the underlying or associated disease, disorder or condition can be delayed because noticeable symptoms, such as dizziness, may not occur for months or years, such as in cardiovascular disease. Dizziness is a symptom of many different conditions, so a thorough medical evaluation is needed to ensure an accurate diagnosis of the reason for the dizziness.
MTBI misdiagnosed as balance problem: When a person has symptoms such as vertigo or dizziness, a diagnosis of brain injury may go overlooked. This is particularly true of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), for which the symptoms are typically mild. The symptoms has also relate to a relatively mild brain injury (e.g. fall), that could have occurred days or even weeks ago. Vestibular dysfunction, causing vertigo-like symptoms, is a common complication of mild brain injury. See causes of dizziness, causes of vertigo, or misdiagnosis of MTBI.
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency or misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
TIA's must not be missed: Transient ischemic attacks are sudden in onset and complete clinical recovery occurs in less than 24 hours. Average duration of the attack is 5 minutes. Usually five years after a TIA 1 in 3 people will have stroke. All patients must get carotid duplex Doppler US and CT scan done at presentation to avoid misdiagnosing the condition. It can be misdiagnosed as a migraine, epileptic seizure, multiple sclerosis, Meniere's disease, hypoglycaemia, drug reactions or any psychological condition. Aim of the treatment must be to minimise the risk of a stroke.
Dizziness in children: Dizziness although not a common cause in children can have threatening causes and requires quick diagnosis as the possibility of tumours such as medulloblastoma is possible but the most commonest causes include seizure of the temporal lobe. other causes being migraine, vestibular neuronitis, psychosomatic vertigo, middle ear infections, trauma and benign paroxysmal vertigo. A detailed history regarding the onset, duration and presence of other related symptoms such as fever, earache and discharge must be recorded.
Rapid heart rate in Wolf Parkinson White syndrome: Wolf Parkinson White syndrome can present with anything form mild chest discomfort or palpitations to severe cardiopulmonary compromise or cardiac arrest. Occasionally, electrocardiographic evidence of a disease is discovered on routine ECG. The patient may have a rapid heart rate of 250 beats per minute often associated with hypotension. Many patients are not aware of the underlying condition. The physician may misdiagnose the condition as a case of atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation.
Some of the causes, which may potentially be dangerous or fatal if left undiagnosed, may include:
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