a field guide to dizziness
dizzy decoded
stop hopping between tabs and start finding answers.
make sense of your symptoms and find a more informed next step.
field notes
built to help people feel less lost
start with red flags, then move into timing, triggers, and the resources that fit best.
symptom language
is it really vertigo?
people use the word dizzy to mean different things. this quick guide helps sort out whether the feeling is more like vertigo, general dizziness, or lightheadedness.
vertigo
sensation
a false sense of motion, or a distorted sense of motion during normal head movement
common cause
often linked to vestibular disorders, though the exact cause still depends on the full story
feels like
you or the room feels like it is spinning, shifting, tilting, or moving when it should not be
dizziness
sensation
a disturbed or impaired sense of spatial orientation without a false sense of motion
common cause
can show up with vestibular disorders, migraine, medications, dehydration, anxiety, and other causes
feels like
disoriented, off, spatially unclear, or not quite anchored even without a spinning sensation
lightheadedness
sensation
a faint, woozy, or about-to-pass-out feeling rather than a vestibular motion illusion
common cause
often points more toward blood pressure, dehydration, autonomic, or cardiac causes
feels like
presyncope, greyed out, weak, hollow, or like you might black out
vertigo
dizziness
lightheadedness
sensation
common cause
feels like
language adapted from Bisdorff et al., Classification of vestibular symptoms (2009).
symptom checker
start here
so you're feeling dizzy.
safety first
did this come with chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, abnormal vitals, confusion, a head injury, or a sudden severe head or neck pain?
we start with the emergency stuff first, because that always matters more than speed.
this is a detailed list of questions. it may take around 5 minutes, give or take, so we can point you toward the most relevant resources.
first we sort through urgent red flags, then move into timing and triggers. if this is not for you, you can skip ahead to the resource guides instead.
private tracker
log symptoms over time
saved only in this browser by default, with export and backup options so someone can bring it to a doctor and keep a copy of their log.
symptom descriptors
check the symptoms that showed up today or in this weekly summary.
blood pressure readings
add multiple readings and note the position for each one.
keep a few days or weeks of notes here, then bring them to your appointment.
calendar view
recent check-ins
once entries are saved, they will show up here so someone can glance back at their recent pattern.
history
entries to bring to a visit
no entries yet. save the first one and this becomes a running history.
meet the founder
built by megan
Megan received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Elon University and has worked in neuro specialty centers in Florida and California. She treats people with complex neurologic conditions, including vestibular dysfunction, stroke, Parkinson's, spinal cord injury, Guillain-Barre, and MS.
Dizzy Decoded is really the kind of resource Megan wishes more people had when they're stuck in that weird in-between of knowing something feels off but not knowing what to do next. Her goal is to make things feel clearer, more grounded, and less overwhelming so people can move toward the right care with more confidence.
Outside of work, she is a dog mom, a soccer player, an occasional salsa dancer, and someone who is always hunting for a good local coffee shop or bookstore. She also hosts The Board Walks, Sacramento chapter.