Monitoring episodic dizziness outside the clinic

A randomized study comparing the use of a portable balance testing device prototype versus the currently available clinic-based devices in the diagnosis of vestibular disorders causing vertigo. The portable balance testing device is a pair of goggles that contain cameras. Participants in the intervention group are required to take the device home and place over their eyes during an episode of dizziness. This technique is called tele-nystagmography. Participants that in the intervention group are asked to place over their eyes for 3 minutes every time they feel dizzy. They are to use the device for every dizzy episode for two weeks or until the memory on the unit is full (up to 30 recordings).. Patients referred with undiagnosed vertigo will be prospectively randomised into either a control group that will undergo standard vestibular workup which requires multiple visits or into the intervention group which will use the portable diagnostic device and just requires one visit. The approximate duration of a visit is one hour. During this visit, the images recorded will be viewed by the specialist. The novel aspect is that the portable device allows capture of eye movements during vertigo attacks. Current investigations only provide limited information and cause side effects through the active stimulation of the vestibular apparatus. If a diagnosis is not made during the follow-up visit in the intervention group, the participant will undergo the standard vestibular workup.