An estimated fifteen million Americans live with chronic vertigo (the illusion of motion) caused by inner ear damage. In fact, this condition usually includes a range of symptoms beyond vertigo: poor balance, blurred vision, tinnitus, hearing loss, sensitivity to noise and light, dizziness (spinning inside the head), head-aches, nausea and vomiting, and a marked decline in cognitive function. People with chronic vertigo often can’t work, drive a car or use a computer. Depression and anxiety rates are disproportionately high among this population. Misunderstood and often misdiagnosed, the mystery of vertigo is a bi-medial, online project-three text pieces and five videos- that explores the causes, psycho-social impact, and treatments for this under-reported condition. There are several significant finding from the project, including the size of the population affected by chronic vertigo, and the difficulty patients have getting diagnosed and treated. However, the most startling finding is about the popular antibiotic, gentamicin. It can permanently destroy the inner ear system yet there remains an alarming degree of ignorance among physicians and pharmacologists about this risk, resulting in many lives needlessly ruined. The use of both text and video was essential for this project. Text is an ideal medium for translating complex health information. But the video enhanced the audiences’ understanding of chronic vertigo beyond what words could communicate. For example, in the first video, Chronic Vertigo: Janice Mackay, simple camera and editing effects were employed to recreate for the audience what it’s like to experience vertigo. The videos also offered a more intimate and immediate sense of what it’s like to live with chronic vertigo. Below is a brief description of each of the elements in the project: The lead text piece (same title as the project) provides an overview of the central issues with chronic vertigo. The second text piece, How gentamicin destroys the inner ear, explores the drug and its connection to complete destruction of the inner ear. The third text, Perpetual Motion: how to deal with chronic vertigo, looks at the effectiveness of vestibular (inner ear) rehabilitation treatments. The five videos are as follows*: 1. Chronic Vertigo: Janice Mackay, a feature story of a woman who had her balance system destroyed by gentamicin. 2. Living with Chronic Vertigo: Lisa Tanner, tells the story of a former college track and field star from Atlanta Georgia who, for the last decade, has been living with chronic vertigo and motion sickness. This simple video uses a single on camera interview, still photos and music to communicate the emotional impact of living with a chronic vestibular disorder. 3. Vertigo and Concussions: Todd Reed and Rotational Chair Treatment. This short video highlights Todd Reed from Zillah, Washington who travelled to Atlanta Georgia to try a high-tech rotational chair for vestibular rehabilitation. 4. Gary Nystrom. A retired-fire fighter tries traditional vestibular rehabilitation. It can be a highly effective but for those, like Gary, with damage to both sides of the inner ear, the success rate is only twenty percent. 5. Ann Stevens. A brief look at a woman whose stumbling walk leads people to assume she’s drunk. Her poor balance is, in fact, due to a progressive vestibular disorder she’s had since birth. *The videos were submitted on DVD. Please play them using VLC media player.
