Please describe the sensations and the order in which they started rather than the name of the disease
Divide the symptoms felt in the head, ears, and face
by their duration and the changes that occurred
Check whether you feel a spinning sensation, a floating feeling, or lightheadedness, and the order in which tinnitus, ear fullness, headache, or facial movement occurred. You can also note if pulsating sensations, cold sweats, nausea, or lethargy occurred during the same time frame.
Start with the current clues rather than the name of the disease
Select the sensations and movements you feel first
Rather than confirming a diagnosis, we narrow down the guide based on the starting area, duration, triggering posture, and accompanying symptoms.
Guide to 18 conditions in total
Tinnitus · Spinning sensation · Staggering · Ear fullness
Ear and Balance
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 Fullness
Ear fullness is common when the eustachian tube is blocked after a cold, rhinitis, or allergies, or when pressure changes during flying or diving, but earwax, otitis media, TMJ, Meniere's disease, and sudden sensorineural hearing loss can also be causes. In particular, if sudden hearing changes in one ear or new tinnitus or dizziness occur, please receive an otolaryngology evaluation on the same day first. Even if the fullness decreases first, if tinnitus or staggering remains, do not assume they recovered at the same rate; record the start and end times of each symptom separately.
View condition guide →
Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is characterized by recurring rotational vertigo where the person or their surroundings feel like they are spinning, loss of balance, and fluctuating hearing or overlapping tinnitus and deep ear pressure during the same period. Nausea and vomiting may accompany this, and symptoms may decrease between episodes. Hearing loss or tinnitus may persist over time. If facial drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, or vision changes occur suddenly, do not wait for Meniere's disease and seek emergency evaluation immediately.
View condition guide →
Dizziness
Vertigo manifests as a feeling that the person or their surroundings are spinning, or a feeling of tilting or about to fall. Staggering, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and a decreased sense of direction may accompany this. Record whether it repeats briefly when changing head position, continues even while still, or is accompanied by one-sided ear fullness, tinnitus, or hearing loss. If slurred speech, weakness in the face, arms, or legs, double vision, severe headache, or inability to walk occur suddenly, do not wait for ear-related dizziness and seek emergency evaluation immediately.
View condition guide →
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a symptom where one perceives sounds such as ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, pulsating, or music-like sounds in one or both ears or the head, even when there is no external sound. The sound can be low or high, soft or loud, and may be intermittent or continuous. For some, the sound changes when moving the head, neck, or eyes, or when touching specific parts of the body. It can be more prominent in a quiet room at night, affecting sleep, concentration, and mood. Do not wait for general tinnitus evaluation if you experience sounds synchronized with your heartbeat, sudden hearing loss, facial weakness, rotational vertigo, or if symptoms start after a head injury.
View condition guide →
BPPV
Typical symptoms of BPPV include brief episodes of vertigo, where it feels as if you or the room are spinning, occurring immediately after assuming a specific head position. This often happens when rolling over in bed, lying down, sitting up, looking up, or bending over, and tends to stop when the position is reversed. Nausea and instability (feeling as if you might fall) may occur, but new hearing loss or a feeling of fullness in the ear are not typical. If dizziness persists even while still, or if one-sided weakness, slurred speech, double vision, or inability to walk occurs, do not wait for BPPV evaluation and seek immediate evaluation.
View condition guide →
Post-vestibular neuritis dizziness
Vestibular neuritis begins with severe dizziness where the surroundings feel as if they are continuously spinning, and may be accompanied by leaning to one side, difficulty walking, nausea, and vomiting. While moving the head increases discomfort, unlike BPPV which occurs briefly only in specific positions, it may continue even while still in the early stages. Usually, there is no new hearing loss or tinnitus; if auditory symptoms are present, other causes such as labyrinthitis are checked.
View condition guide →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-type headache
Tension-type headaches usually feel like a band tightening or pressing around both sides of the head, face, and neck. The pain is mild to moderate and is not significantly worsened by daily activities such as walking or climbing stairs. Nausea and vomiting are not typical; if there is severe sensitivity to both light and sound, other headaches such as migraines should be examined. Sudden onset of extreme headache, paralysis, speech impairment, changes in consciousness, high fever, and neck stiffness require immediate emergency evaluation.
View condition guide →
Eyelid Twitching
Common eye twitching is a fine tremor of the upper or lower eyelid of one eye, which may fluctuate for a few days following fatigue, lack of sleep, stress, or caffeine intake. This differs from blepharospasm, where the eyelids close tightly or it becomes difficult to open both eyes, and hemifacial spasm, which spreads from around one eye to the corner of the mouth. You should seek medical evaluation if the twitching persists for several weeks, spreads to the face or body, or is accompanied by drooping eyelids, weakness, stiffness, redness, swelling, or discharge.
View condition guide →
Headache
Headaches can appear as a feeling of pressure or pulsating pain in one or both sides, or in the front, side, or back of the head, and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light, sound, and smell. Migraines often present as pulsating pain that gradually worsens on one side, along with nausea and sensory hypersensitivity; some experience auras such as flashing lights in the vision, difficulty speaking, or numbness in the hands and face before the pain. However, new-onset paralysis, sensory loss, or speech impairment should not be dismissed as a migraine aura. Immediate emergency evaluation is required for a sudden, severe 'worst-ever' headache, seizures, decreased consciousness, one-sided paralysis, difficulty speaking or walking, loss of vision, high fever, neck stiffness, non-blanching rash, or headaches following head trauma.
View condition guide →
Chronic Recurrent Headache
Chronic headache generally refers to a state of having headaches for 15 days or more per month for over 3 months, but it is not a single cause or diagnosis. Primary types such as chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, and new daily persistent headache are categorized, and it must be checked whether overuse of analgesics has reduced the number of headache-free days. Lack of sleep, stress, and irregular meals can be aggravating factors, but if there is a sudden 'worst-ever' headache or neurological changes, secondary causes such as infection, vascular issues, intracranial pressure, or trauma are evaluated first.
View condition guide →
Brain Fog
Brain fog is a descriptive term for symptoms where the head feels cloudy, thinking is slow, and concentrating, remembering, or finding words is more difficult than usual, rather than being a single formal diagnosis. It may appear alongside fatigue and sleep problems or follow an infection, but various causes such as medication side effects, depression, anxiety, and thyroid issues are possible, so the onset timing and impact on daily life must be evaluated. If sudden severe confusion occurs or is accompanied by one-sided weakness or difficulty speaking, do not dismiss it as brain fog and seek immediate emergency help.
View condition guide →
Facial Spasm
Common eyelid myokymia usually appears on one side, particularly the lower eyelid, as a gentle, wave-like trembling of the skin. It must be distinguished from simple eyelid twitching if both eyes close strongly against your will or if spasms around one eye spread to the cheek or corner of the mouth on the same side. If the trembling persists, spreads, or worsens, seek an evaluation from an ophthalmologist or neurologist. If facial drooping, slurred speech, or limb weakness occur suddenly, seek emergency evaluation immediately.
View condition guide →
Facial Paralysis
Facial paralysis may appear as sudden weakness in the movement of one side of the face, causing the eyebrows, eyelids, or corner of the mouth to droop, difficulty smiling or frowning, and an inability to close one eye completely. This may be accompanied by drooling, difficulty speaking, eating, or drinking, decreased sense of taste, dry eyes or excessive tearing, pain behind the ear or in the jaw, and sensitivity to sound. However, if new facial drooping is accompanied by weakness or numbness in one arm or leg, slurred speech or difficulty understanding, changes in vision or balance, or a sudden severe headache, it should be regarded as a stroke and 119 must be called immediately. Even if only the face appears weak, do not assume it is Bell's palsy on your own; seek an evaluation on the same day, and if the eye does not close, begin corneal protection immediately.
View condition guide →
Migraine
A migraine is not a condition confirmed by a single blood test or MRI, but is clinically diagnosed by synthesizing recurring headache patterns, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, auras, and physical and neurological examinations. Brain imaging is not always necessary if typical migraine patterns are stable and the examination is normal. CT or MRI is selected to find other causes if the headache starts suddenly and severely, changes rapidly in appearance, or if there are new headaches, neurological abnormalities, or persistent atypical auras after age 50.
View condition guide →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.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are symptoms where the heart feels like it is pounding, racing, fluttering, or skipping a beat. While this may be due to caffeine, lack of sleep, or tension, arrhythmia, anemia, thyroid issues, and the effects of medication must also be checked. If accompanied by chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or a feeling of fainting, seek emergency evaluation immediately. If no urgent issues are found during tests but the symptoms recur chronically, consult about Korean herbal medicine treatment at Baekrokdam by observing how sleep, digestion, tension, and palpitations move together.
View condition guide →
Tremors and Asthenia
Hand tremors are characterized by rhythmic shaking; it is important to first distinguish whether they are more severe when hands are resting on the knees, when maintaining a posture with arms extended, or when holding a cup, spoon, or pen. Distinguish between visible tremors, subjective shakiness, and actual loss of muscle strength, and record the sequence in relation to fasting, posture, medications, and pulsating sensations. If accompanied by sudden one-sided weakness, speech changes, gait abnormalities, or fainting, do not dismiss it as a recurring tremor and seek immediate neurological or emergency evaluation.
View condition guide →
Nausea
A feeling of stomach upset or the sensation of wanting to vomit is a symptom that appears in various conditions rather than being a single disease. If accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting, consider gastrointestinal infection or food poisoning; post-meal heartburn or abdominal bloating may indicate acid reflux; headaches sensitive to light or sound may indicate migraines; and rotational dizziness is viewed in the context of vestibular disorders. Pregnancy, motion sickness, anxiety, alcohol consumption, new medications, or recent surgery can also be causes. Sudden nausea accompanied by tightening chest pain or shortness of breath may be symptoms requiring immediate medical evaluation for heart issues.
View condition guide →
Autonomic Dysfunction Symptoms
'Autonomic dysfunction' is used as a broad term to describe automatic regulation symptoms such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, sweating, and body temperature, rather than being a single definitive diagnosis. First, categorize potential causes such as cardiac, neurological, endocrine, or medication effects. If symptoms persist after testing, record the first symptom to appear, subsequent symptoms, and the time it takes to return to a normal state. Chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or new neurological symptoms must be evaluated immediately, and treatment for the identified cause should continue. Korean herbal medicine treatment sets recovery goals based on patterns where sleep, digestion, body temperature, and energy levels are simultaneously unstable.
View condition guide →