Dr Khalid al-Hadi speaking at a session yesterday
By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporter

Anyone feeling a brief loss of consciousness (fainting) or dimmed vision and an unco-ordinated, confused or lightheaded feeling should immediately consult their physician as they could be showing symptoms of a vestibular disorder called dizziness.
“Almost everybody is likely to experience dizziness at least once in their lifetime as it is said to be the most common after headache, an electronystagmography (ENG) expert said yesterday.
ENG is used to diagnose the cause of vertigo, dizziness or balance dysfunction by testing the vestibular system.
Dr Gian Paolo Mazzoni, who was speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the First Qatar International Conference on Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation organised by the HMC’s audiology and balance unit, said that vertigo, which is one of the categories of dizziness was the feeling that either the individual or the surroundings are spinning.
“Individuals with non-syncope non-vertigo dizziness feel as though they cannot keep their balance and when this is happening people should not just dispel it but seek immediate medical attention for early diagnosis and treatment,” he added.
Dr Zainab al-Musleh, hearing and balance disorders consultant at HMC, who is also the deputy chair of the conference, said that if the sources of any of the information being co-ordinated by the brain from the eyes, inner ear and the body’s senses to maintain balance are disrupted, the brain may not be able to compensate.
“For example, people sometimes experience motion sickness because the information from their body tells the brain that they are sitting still, but information from the eyes indicates they are moving. The messages don’t correspond and dizziness results,” she said, adding that two major causes of dizziness are central and peripheral syndrome and up to 50% of cases also occur due to inner ear infection.
However, she mentioned that the aim of the conference was to share latest ideas and experiences in the field.
“We feel it is important to update ourselves in the care of vestibular disorders because it takes long time to establish it as a medical problem due to long time needed for assessment, diagnosis and then treatment, which is why we are organising this conference for the first time ever in the Middle East,” she stated.
A speaker from King Saud University, Cochlear Implant Programme director Dr Abdulrahman Alsanosi stated that dizziness might have a negative impact on the affected individual.
“Anyone suffering from this disorder will always have fear to go out, to socialise, to drive and do other normal activities as they will continue to live in perpetual fear of having the attack,” he said mentioning that the most affected persons by the disorder are women and the elderly.
Dr Vitaly Kisilevsky, of Audiology School in Canada, hinted on a plan to have a branch of the school in Qatar in the future.
“We are hoping that there will be a branch of School of audiology here in order to bring first class medical service to people of Qatar as well as improve on the already existing quality,” he said.

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