Dizziness, Balance, and Related Symptoms Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion in New Zealand A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study sought to characterise dizziness and balance symptoms experienced after mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI), their relative prevalence, and onset. Other related features including vision, hearing, cognition, psychological distress, headaches/migraines, and number of concussions were also studied in their relationship to dizziness and balance. METHODS: Twenty-eight dizzy participants with mTBI were recruited in this questionnaire-based study. They answered questions relating to their concussion, types of dizziness, visual and hearing symptoms, and headaches or migraines. Auditory processing and cognitive disabilities were rated on scales. They also answered validated sub-questionnaires, including Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale (VVA). One participant opted for vestibular testing. Two participants completed the follow-up questionnaire 6-7 months from injury to monitor changes. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise dizziness/balance symptoms and visual symptoms. The relationship between the DHI and other postconcussion symptoms was explored using Spearman’s Correlation, Mann Whitney U and Fisher’s Exact tests. RESULTS: Most mTBI individuals complained of more than one specific dizziness symptom. The most common being unsteadiness, followed by “a spinning sensation with triggers.” Dizziness symptoms usually developed within the first week following the injury, although delays of up to six months were reported. Most patients (75%) reported an improvement in their dizzy symptoms over time. There were moderate to strong positive correlations between dizziness handicap (DHI), visual vertigo (VVA), auditory processing difficulties, and cognitive difficulties (p