Dear Annie: "Dizzy in New York," who suffers vertigo and ringing in the ears after eating citrus foods, may have migraine-associated vertigo and tinnitus. Such patients often have a history of headaches (which they may mistake as "sinus headaches"), but many have only inner ear symptoms. Chocolate, fermented foods (especially red wine), and other foods can be triggers, as can use and withdrawal from caffeine, hormones and headache medications. Eliminating these triggers often relieves symptoms; some patients require medications that help prevent migraine.
"Dizzy" should consider seeing a neurologist or neurotologist (an otolaryngologist who specializes in inner ear disorders) who has a special interest in treatment of vertigo and is knowledgeable about migraine-associated vertigo. — Charley C. Della Santina, Ph.D., M.D., Dept. of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Dear Dr. Della Santina: Thank you for your expert diagnosis. Our readers really came through with suggestions and referrals. We can't promise that any of them will solve the problem, but we hope at least one will prove helpful. Read on:
From an Integrative Physician: This patient clearly has food allergies, and I also recommend that tests be run for gluten intolerance. Often, food allergies become more numerous over time. We usually develop allergies from the very foods we like the best, simply because we eat them so often. People should rotate foods so they are not eating the same ingredients frequently.Florida: "Dizzy" should locate a physician who specializes in autoimmune diseases and ask to be checked for dysautonomia.
Brooklyn: "Dizzy" said tomato sauce also gives her vertigo. Tomatoes canned in the United States contain citric acid. She should look for tomatoes canned in Italy.
New Jersey: She may have acid reflux. I, too, get nauseated and dizzy when I eat citric acid.
California: Has she had an MRI? I had similar symptoms, and an acoustic neuroma was found. I had it removed a couple of weeks ago, and although I still have some tinnitus, the dizziness is gone, and I can eat what I want.
Arkansas: My husband's cardiologist told me to take ginger or ginger root capsules two to three times a day, and then gradually decrease it to a single capsule.
Santa Cruz: Tell "Dizzy" that she's having gall bladder problems. I endured three months of horrible vertigo, and when my acupuncturist had me cut back on oils and acids, it went away. If I have a flare-up, I use milk thistle tablets.
Patriotic tradition
The 78-year-old and his wife, LaRae, placed 322 flags donated by the American Legion on veterans' graves.
Negative impacts of TV
What would girls watching the show take away from the comments — that a mind is a terrible thing to use?
Dangerous silence
Religious leaders say too many parents are still uncomfortable with the idea of talking to their children about sex.
- Dangerous silence: Why you need to talk to...
- 20 best-selling books that flopped in the box...
- Combating the negative impacts of reality TV...
- Studies try to find why poorer people are...
- Deseret Book top products for May 14-19
- Deseret News Exclusive: Excerpt from Clayton...
- Provo girl severely abused as a child...
- HAFB to host 'Warriors Over the Wasatch' air...
Subscribe
Mobile
RSS
- Studies try to find why poorer people...
14 - Math, music can be taught together 11
- Dangerous silence: Why you need to talk... 9
- Promises to keep: Refugees refuse to... 8
- Combating the negative impacts of... 8
- Living with same-sex attraction: Our story 6
- Gov't taking new steps to combat food... 6
- Provo girl severely abused as a child... 4
DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments