Upper body of an adult lightly leaning against a wall indoors to check balance in a space where shaking is felt

Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic · Medical Guide for Craniofacial and Systemic Accompanying Symptoms

If you experience ringing in the ears, a shaking sensation in the head, and changes in facial movement and other bodily functions

We do not group tinnitus, dizziness, headaches, facial paralysis, and eyelid twitching under a single medical department name. We organize what started first, how symptoms change according to posture, movement, light, and sleep, and whether pulsating sensations, cold sweats, nausea, lethargy, or brain fog occur during the same timeframe.

2-minute symptom flow summary View Head, Ear, and Face Columns →

We look at the order of onset and accompanying symptoms rather than a single symptom.

Days that cannot be explained by a single cause

When ringing in the ears is followed by dizziness, cold sweats, and a loss of strength

Searching for each symptom separately may lead to different departments and diagnoses. However, the clue for diagnosis lies in which symptom appeared first and which occurred at the same time. After ruling out acute risks, we continuously track posture, movement, vision, sleep, tension, and recovery time in a single timeline.

Whether it is a spinning sensation, a feeling of staggering or floating, or a sudden dizziness
Which came first among tinnitus, ear fullness, headache, or facial movement
Whether pulsating, cold sweats, nausea, or a sense of weakness occur at the same time

From symptoms to conditions

Select the current appearance before the name of the disease

Select the symptom you felt first in your head, ears, or face, and then look at the systemic reactions that occurred at the same time.

Tinnitus · Spinning sensation · Staggering · Ear fullness

Ear and Balance Senses

Changes in ear sound, pressure, and hearing, as well as rotational or non-rotational dizziness, are categorized by posture, duration, and the interval between episodes.

Ear fullnessEar pressure accompanied by hearing loss or dizziness Meniere's diseaseTinnitus, ear fullness, and episodic dizziness DizzinessSpinning dizziness or staggering TinnitusRinging in the ears, discomfort with sleep and concentration BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)Short spinning sensation when turning the head Dizziness after vestibular neuritisBalance discomfort remaining after acute spinning sensation

Headache · Light sensitivity · Facial drooping · Tremors

Pain and Movement of the Head, Eyes, and Face

Headaches and visual sensitivity, facial asymmetry, pulling, spasms, and eyelid tremors are divided into the acute phase and the recurrent/recovery phase.

Tension headachePressure in the head and tension in the neck and shoulders Eyelid twitchingFatigue, sleep issues, and recurring eye twitching HeadacheLocation, timing, and accompanying symptoms of head pain Chronic recurring headachesIncrease in days with headaches and limitations in daily life Brain fogMental cloudiness, difficulty concentrating, and discomfort with screens Facial spasmsRecurring contractions of one side of the eye or mouth Facial paralysisSudden facial asymmetry and recovery MigraineSensitivity to light and sound, and nausea

Palpitations · Nausea · Cold sweats · Lethargy

Other bodily changes occurring at the same time

We connect heart rate, sweating, gastrointestinal issues, tremors, and brain fog that occur alongside head, ear, or facial symptoms, based on the order of onset and recovery time.

Chest palpitationsDizziness, cold sweats, and changes in heart rate Tremors · LethargyLoss of strength and systemic tremors NauseaNausea accompanying dizziness and headache Autonomic dysfunction symptomsAccompanied by throbbing, sweating, sleep issues, or body heat

Questions that arise before a diagnosis

Rather than where it hurts, what symptoms move together

We distinguish between a spinning sensation and a floating feeling, tinnitus and ear fullness, headache and light sensitivity, and facial drooping and tremors, while continuously checking for accompanying throbbing, cold sweats, nausea, and lethargy occurring at the same time.

View Head, Ear, and Face Column →

01 · Sensation of dizziness

How do spinning dizziness, a floating feeling, and lightheadedness differ?

A spinning sensation where the world rotates, imbalance where the body feels floating or unsteady, and a pre-syncope feeling where vision goes dark are all expressed as 'dizziness,' but the bodily axes involved are different.

02 · Ear and balance differentiation

BPPV, Meniere's disease, and vestibular migraine differ in duration and accompanying symptoms

Spinning dizziness for several seconds when turning the head, attacks accompanied by ear fullness and fluctuating hearing, and dizziness that occurs with sensitivity to light and sound cannot be treated in the same way.

03 · Tinnitus, ear fullness, and hearing

When tinnitus, ear fullness, and hearing loss occur together, what should be examined first?

Tinnitus is not just a single symptom of sound in the ear. If sudden unilateral hearing loss is present, an immediate hearing evaluation is required. The treatment priority changes depending on whether it is pulsating, whether dizziness and ear fullness are bundled like attacks, and how much long-term tinnitus disrupts sleep and concentration. Even if the fullness decreases first, tinnitus or balance discomfort may remain separately, so changes in each symptom must be tracked chronologically.

04 · Residual dizziness after treatment

If a floating and unsteady feeling remains after a canalith repositioning procedure

The feeling of the room spinning when turning the head may have disappeared, but you may still feel floating or unsteady when walking or looking at a screen. We must first determine if BPPV persists or if the balance system is in the process of adapting to a new state.

Recurring discomfort after examination and initial treatment

Chronological pattern identification of balance, sensation, facial movement, and systemic regulatory responses

We do not disregard confirmed BPPV, Meniere's disease, migraine, facial palsy, or heart disease. When dizziness, tinnitus, headache, or facial tightness recur alongside sleep, digestion, throbbing, sweating, and body heat even after necessary evaluations and initial treatment, we identify the axes that actually move together to set the goals for Korean herbal medicine treatment.

Starting point of pattern identification

Sudden unilateral paralysis, slurred speech, gait disturbance, thunderclap headache, rapid hearing loss, chest pain, dyspnea, or syncope require prompt evaluation by emergency, neurology, otolaryngology, or cardiology services first.

Factors to be managed together in herbal medicine treatment

Symptoms and bodily changes are categorized into several branches

Dameum/Damtak (Accumulated fluid and turbidity)

When dizziness is accompanied by nausea and a feeling of heaviness in the body

We observe whether a floating and heavy feeling, rather than spinning, occurs on the same day as nausea, phlegm, or bloating.

Qi and Blood Deficiency / Cheongyang-bulseung (Failure of clear yang to ascend)

When feeling dizzy upon standing and recovery is slow

We check for a pattern of lethargy, paleness, easy fatigue, and a lack of refreshment even after sleep.

Ganyang-sanghang (Hyperactivity of liver yang) / Upper-body heat

When headache, tinnitus, heat sensations, and tension surge upward

We observe whether temple throbbing, sensitivity to light and sound, neck and shoulder tension, and facial heat sensations occur together.

Simbi-yangheo (Heart and spleen yang deficiency) / Simsin-bul-an (Heart and mind instability)

When feeling exhausted after palpitations, cold sweats, or insomnia

We observe a pattern where the heart races even with small stimuli, sleep is shallow, and appetite and energy decrease together.

Heat and Cold Regulation

When the head feels hot but the hands and feet are cold

Patterns where body heat differs between the upper and lower body, or where fatigue increases after sweating, are reflected in the adjustment of the prescription.

You may consider a consultation in these cases

When dizziness, tinnitus, or headaches recur despite having undergone necessary tests and initial treatment
When recovery of facial expression, eye closing, pulling sensations, or synkinesis takes a long time after the acute phase of facial nerve palsy
When symptoms of the head, ears, and face surge together with palpitations, sweating, nausea, or lethargy under the same conditions

Things to check during the consultation

The sequence of symptom onset, duration, and time taken for recovery
Changes in hearing, vestibular, brain imaging, ECG, blood tests, and medications taken
The relationship between symptoms and posture, movement, screens, sleep, meals, menstruation, or tension

If new paralysis, slurred speech, gait disturbance, sudden hearing loss, thunderclap headache, chest pain, dyspnea, or fainting occurs, a prompt medical evaluation is required even if previous tests were normal. After ruling out these exceptions, we focus on herbal medicine treatment for chronic, recurrent, and recovery-phase symptoms.

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Chief Director Choi Yeon-seung, Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic

Medical and content review

We ask about the sequence in which symptoms began and the recovery time for each.

Director Choi Yeon-seung asks which occurred first among dizziness, tinnitus, headache, or facial movement, and when pulsating sensations, cold sweats, nausea, or lethargy followed. For sudden neurological, auditory, or cardiac symptoms, we first guide you to the appropriate specialized care. If discomfort persists after tests and initial treatment, we identify changes in sleep, digestion, body heat, or energy levels accompanying the symptoms to determine the goals for Korean herbal medicine treatment.

“Just because multiple symptoms overlap does not mean they all share the same cause. We must connect the sequence of symptoms and recovery times without missing the symptoms that need to be ruled out first; only then can we specifically determine the priority for the Korean herbal medicine prescription.”

Chief Director Choi Yeon-seungProviding Korean medicine treatment since 2010

Graduated from Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine
Chief Director of Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic

View Director's Profile →View Research & Author Information →

Before your consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

If tinnitus, dizziness, and pulsating sensations occur together, is it all due to autonomic nervous system issues?

No. There are causes that must be checked first, such as issues with the ears, nerves, heart, blood pressure, or medications. After reviewing the tests and clinical progress, we additionally examine patterns in posture, sleep, tension, and body heat reactions that recur during the same time periods.

If test results are normal, can I start Korean herbal medicine treatment immediately?

We first verify the type of tests performed, the timing of those tests, and any new symptoms that have emerged since. Once the necessary causes have been ruled out and chronic or recurring symptoms continue to limit daily life, we can consult on the goals for Korean herbal medicine treatment.

For facial paralysis or sudden hearing loss, is it okay to wait and use only Korean herbal medicine?

No. New facial paralysis and sudden hearing loss require prompt medical evaluation in the early stages. Without delaying the initial evaluation and treatment, we then divide the scope of Korean medicine treatment for the recovery phase and any remaining symptoms.

I have multiple symptoms; what should I write down first?

Please list the following line by line: the symptom that started first, the start time, duration, posture and activity at the time, accompanying symptoms, and the time it took to recover.

Records for your next visit

Please start by recording the date the symptoms began and any changes after treatment

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