A prodrome is an early warning sign that a spin may be on its way. It can come minutes, hours, or sometimes a day before. Many people only notice theirs when they look back. Learning yours can give you time to get somewhere safe or quiet.
Not everyone has warning signs, and they are more common in some conditions than others. BPPV spins, for example, usually come straight on with a head movement and no warning.
Signs people often notice
- Ear signs: the ear feels full or under pressure, tinnitus gets louder, or hearing seems to dip. These are common before a Meniere's attack.
- Balance signs: a background dizziness, feeling slightly off-balance, being bothered by motion or busy visual scenes.
- Head and body: head pressure, a headache, neck tension, nausea, tiredness.
- Senses: sensitivity to light or sound, blurred vision, visual aura, tingling.
- Mind and mood: brain fog, trouble concentrating or finding words, irritability, anxiety or a sense of dread.
Logging them in VertigoMe
- On the Log tab, tap the Prodrome card in Quick Log, or tap Prodrome in the Quick log row on Home.
- Pick the sign, check the time and tap Log Prodrome.
Warning signs also count towards your risk score, because when you are in one, a spin may already be coming. If a spin follows, the app can learn which signs tend to come before yours.
A sign is not a promise
Sometimes you will have a warning sign and nothing follows. That is normal and does not mean you logged it wrongly.
A simple way to learn your pattern
For the next few weeks, log anything that feels a little off, even if nothing comes of it. After a few spins, look back. Your own short list of warning signs often starts to show itself.
This is general information only. It cannot tell you what is causing your symptoms. Please speak to your GP, ENT, neurologist or audiologist about your own situation.
