Baekrokdam Medical Guide

What should I prepare before a consultation for dizziness, tinnitus, or headaches?

Name: What should be prepared before a consultation for dizziness, tinnitus, or headaches?
Published: 2026-08-25

On a single page, note the first words you felt, the starting posture, the duration, and any simultaneous changes in the ears, headaches, nausea, or heart rate. MRI, hearing...Nystagmus·Prepare your ECG results and medication envelopes, and share what has improved and what remains after treatment. Rather than a perfect diary, describing three representative attacks and the moments that disrupt your daily life is more helpful.

Click on unfamiliar terms to see their meanings immediately.

Reviewed by Korean Medicine Doctor Choi Yeon-seung · Last updated 2026-08-25

Write down the sequence of events for three representative attacks

Note what you were doing when the first sensation occurred, and whether it was rotation or swayingPresyncope and how many seconds, minutes, or hours it lasted.

Map the reactions of your ears, head, face, and body on the same timeline

Hearing andtinnitus·Observe when fullness in the ears, headache, light sensitivity, nausea, cold sweats, throbbing, or facial movements appeared before or after the dizziness.

Collect test and treatment records as result sheets or photos

Prepare MRI, CT, hearing, nystagmus, and ECG results along with Canalith repositioning procedure dates and reactions to prescribed medications. If you do not know the names, photos of the medication envelopes are sufficient.

Please tell us which movements and activities you most want to regain

Determine which is most difficult among driving, commuting, grocery shopping, looking at screens, or using stairs. In Korean medicine treatment, we set recovery goals and changes to observe for herbal medicine treatment based on existing diagnoses.

Check once more before your appointment

Preparing this much before your appointment is sufficient

Rather than looking at a single symptom in isolation, it is helpful for determining the direction of treatment to observe when it started, what changed alongside it, and how much it has disrupted your daily life.

Dizziness: Details to verify during medical evaluation

Dizziness does not end simply because the spinning sensation has decreased. After an attack staggering, we observe whether a floating feeling, sensitivity to visual stimuli, and nausea remain, leading you to avoid driving, grocery shopping, screens, or work.

The sensation closest to spinning, floating, or lightheadedness, and the duration of a single episode

Tinnitus: Details to be confirmed during the appointment

If tinnitus continues to disrupt sleep and concentration even after checking for urgent ear diseases, hearing changes, and pulsatile causes, measuring the sound alone is insufficient. We re-examine when the sound increases, and how it relates to that day's sleep, headaches, neck tension, and digestionpulsatingto see how they fluctuate together.

Location, pitch, and whether the sound matches your heartbeat, and the time of day when it is loudest

Headache: Details to be confirmed during the appointment

For headaches, we first screen for risks such as new neurological symptoms, thunderclap-onset pain, fever, and changes in consciousness. For recurring headaches, we check the duration, sensitivity to light and sound, neck movement, menstruation, sleep, and days of pain reliever use, as well as the location of the pain.

Number of headache days and painkiller use days per month, and the duration of a single episode

Information that is helpful to write down before your visit

The sensation closest to vertigo, floating, or lightheadedness, and the duration of a single episode
Situations where symptoms worsen, such as moving the head, walking, viewing screens, visiting a mart, or driving
Tinnitus, headache, nausea, throbbing, and the time taken to recover
The location, pitch, and synchronization of the sound with the pulse, and the time of day when it is loudest
The relationship between the onset of tinnitus and hearing tests, medications, or noise exposure
Time to fall asleep, number of awakenings, situations where concentration was abandoned, and accompanying headaches or dizziness

Dizziness, Ear, Head, and Face Glossary

Terms to know in this text

You can check simple definitions before proceeding to detailed explanations.

VertigoVertigo is a type of dizziness where you or your surroundings feel as if they are spinning; it is distinguished from staggering or feeling as if you might faint. The range of causes can be narrowed down only by checking head movement, duration, hearing changes, and neurological symptoms together.ImbalanceA sense of imbalance is a feeling of instability or staggering, making it difficult to maintain balance while standing or walking.PresyncopeA pre-syncope feeling is a state where your vision darkens, you feel a loss of strength, or you break into a cold sweat, as if you are just about to lose consciousness.TinnitusTinnitus is a symptom where sounds are perceived in the ears or head even when there is no external sound.Aural FullnessAural fullness is a symptom where the ear feels blocked or as if it is filled with pressure.Pattern Identification for Dizziness, Tinnitus, and HeadachePattern identification is a Korean medicine diagnostic process where, even for the same diagnosis of dizziness, tinnitus, or headache, the direction of the herbal medicine prescription is determined by examining the sequence of symptoms along with sleep, digestion, heart rate, body heat, and fatigue.NystagmusNystagmus is a phenomenon where the eyes move repeatedly involuntarily; the direction and triggering posture are examined to distinguish the cause of dizziness.Pulsatile TinnitusPulsatile tinnitus is a type of tinnitus where you hear thumping or whooshing sounds that synchronize with your heartbeat. Unlike general continuous-tone tinnitus, medical evaluation may be necessary to identify the cause.Migraine auraMigraine aura refers to symptoms such as flashing lights or zigzag patterns in the field of vision, or temporary changes in sensation or speech, occurring before or during a headache. This does not occur in all migraines.Medication overuse headacheMedication overuse headache refers to a condition where a person with an existing headache experiences more frequent or nearly daily headaches due to the frequent use of acute headache medications.Canalith Repositioning ProcedureA canalith repositioning procedure is a treatment that returns displaced otoconia to their original position by changing the posture of the head and body.MigraineMigraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurring headaches that may be accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening of symptoms with movement.Tension headacheA tension-type headache is a common headache often characterized by a feeling of pressure, as if the head is being squeezed by a band, occurring on both sides.Facial paralysisFacial nerve palsy is a condition where the nerve function that moves the face declines, weakening the movement of one side of the forehead, eye, and mouth.Hemifacial spasmHemifacial spasm is a condition where twitching starts around one eye and repeatedly pulls the cheek and mouth area.Eyelid twitchingEyelid twitching is a symptom where the muscles around the eye flutter slightly; it can worsen with fatigue, lack of sleep, and caffeine.Brain fogBrain fog is a common term used to describe a feeling of mental cloudiness, where concentration, memory, and finding the right words are more difficult than usual.

Details confirmed in Korean medicine treatment

We review test results and your current discomfort together

Dizziness does not end simply because the spinning sensation has decreased. We observe whether instability, a floating feeling, sensitivity to visual stimuli, and nausea remain after an attack, leading to the avoidance of driving, supermarkets, screens, or work.

Categorizing symptoms

Distinguishing between a spinning sensation and a feeling of fainting

The causes to be checked first and the treatment goals vary depending on whether you spin for a few seconds when turning your head, feel floating while standing, or experience darkness before your eyes when standing up.

Categorizing symptoms

We do not categorize everything as a simple ringing sound

The initial medical evaluation differs depending on whether the sound is in one or both ears, high or low pitch, synchronized with your pulse, or accompanied by a feeling of fullness and changes in hearing.

Categorizing symptoms

Categorizing the different types of headaches

By recording whether the pain is throbbing, pressing, or stabbing, whether it is unilateral or bilateral, and if it worsens with movement, Migrainewe distinguish the characteristics of tension-type and secondary headaches.

No. While disorders of the ear's balance organs are common causes, new neurological symptoms, severe headaches, or the inability to walk require the immediate exclusion of emergency causes related to the brain.

How to discuss my symptoms during the medical evaluation

Discomfort that persists after tests and treatment

What should I prepare before an appointment for dizziness, tinnitus, or headache?

On one page, write down the words you first used to describe the feeling, the starting position, the duration, and any simultaneous changes in hearing, headaches, nausea, or heart rate. Prepare your MRI, hearing, nystagmus, and ECG results along with your medication envelopes, and distinguish between what has improved and what remains after treatment. Rather than a perfect diary, it is more helpful to provide three representative episodes and descriptions of scenes that disrupt your daily life.

We establish a recovery sequence by dividing the roles of existing treatments and herbal medicine treatment. If there is a cause that requires priority treatment, that treatment is continued. For herbal medicine treatment, we examine the remaining symptoms, the impact on daily life, and the patterns of sleep, digestion, body heat, and fatigue to set central goals and progress criteria. The sequence of combining it with existing treatments is adjusted based on actual responses, and lifestyle management is tailored to support the treatment goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions Before Your Visit

Can I take videos of my eyes or face during an attack?

Short videos taken by a companion can be helpful, provided they do not compromise safety. Do not delay medical evaluation for the sake of filming.

Are original copies of all tests absolutely necessary?

Prepare the result sheets and reading reports first; you will be guided during the appointment regarding any necessary original images.

What does vertigo feel like?

Typical sensations include the feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning, a feeling of tilting or as if you are about to fall, and staggering.

Are nausea and vomiting also symptoms of vertigo?

They can accompany vertigo. If you cannot keep fluids down or become severely lethargic, dehydration and the underlying cause are promptly evaluated.

Guidance closest to my symptoms

Condition GuidanceDizzinessVertigo manifests as a feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning, or a feeling that your body is tilting or about to fall. It may be accompanied by staggering, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and a decreased sense of direction. Record whether it repeats briefly when changing head position, continues even while still, or is accompanied by fullness, tinnitus, or hearing loss in one ear. If you suddenly experience slurred speech, weakness in the face, arms, or legs, double vision, severe headache, or inability to walk, do not wait for a diagnosis of ear-related dizziness and seek immediate emergency evaluation.Condition GuidanceTinnitusTinnitus is a symptom where one perceives ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, pulsating, or music-like sounds in one or both ears or the head, despite 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, and 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. Sounds that match the heartbeat, sudden hearing loss, facial weakness, spinning vertigo, or onset after head trauma are not treated as general tinnitus to be waited out.Condition GuidanceHeadacheHeadaches may appear as pressure or throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head, or in the front, side, or back, and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell. Migraines often present as throbbing pain that gradually worsens on one side, along with nausea and sensory hypersensitivity; some experience auras before the pain, such as flashing lights in the vision, difficulty speaking, or numbness in the hands and face. However, new-onset paralysis, sensory loss, or speech impairment should not be assumed to be a migraine aura. Immediate emergency evaluation is required for a sudden, severe 'worst-ever' headache, seizures or decreased consciousness, one-sided paralysis, difficulty speaking or walking, loss of vision, high fever with neck stiffness or non-blanching rash, or headaches following head trauma.Condition GuidanceMigraineMigraine is not a condition confirmed by a single blood test or MRI; rather, it is clinically diagnosed by synthesizing the pattern of recurring headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, aura, and physical and neurological examinations. If the typical migraine pattern is stable and the examination is normal, brain imaging is not always necessary. CT or MRI is selected to find other causes if the symptoms start suddenly and severely, change rapidly in appearance, or if there are new headaches, neurological abnormalities, or persistent atypical aura after age 50.Head, Ear, and Face ColumnWhen dizziness, throbbing, and nausea occur together, the order in which they started changes the treatment.Episodes of dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and nausea may feel as if they happen all at once, but the starting point for the cause and treatment differs depending on whether balance stimulation, heart rate changes, or meals and posture occurred first.Head, Ear, and Face ColumnWhen dizziness or throbbing persists despite normal results from Otolaryngology, Neurology, or Cardiology testsIf dizziness, throbbing, nausea, or brain fog continue even after being told by multiple departments that there are no abnormalities, you may find yourself endlessly searching for a disease that the tests missed. However, a normal result does not necessarily mean there is no problem; rather, it indicates the specific range of structure and function that each test verified.

Evidence and Update Information

The following materials were referenced for definitions, criteria for distinguishing similar symptoms, and safety standards. These are applied alongside medical interviews and pattern identification to determine the direction of Korean herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment, and the sequence for connecting them with existing treatments.