How it can feel
- A floating, rocking or “at sea” sensation.
- Unsteadiness in supermarkets, scrolling screens or busy streets.
- Heavy head fog with light and sound sensitivity.
- Better on some days, wrecked by visual motion on others.
Day to day
- Avoidance of shops, travel and screens can creep in.
- Nausea and fatigue often join the picture.
- Fear of falling reduces activity, which can worsen confidence further.
Why this can be FND (simply)
Balance is a multisensory prediction system. After vestibular events, migraine, or high threat load, the system can get stuck in a protective, overly sensitive mode — a functional pattern that is still very real.
What can help
- Assessment to exclude dangerous causes, then a clear explanation.
- Vestibular / specialised physiotherapy where appropriate.
- Graded exposure to avoided visual environments with support.
- Treating migraine, sleep debt, anxiety loops and neck tension where relevant.
This is information, not a treatment plan. Personal care decisions belong with you and your clinicians.
FAQs
Is this just anxiety?
Anxiety can amplify dizziness, but functional dizziness is not “imagined”. Many people need both vestibular strategies and support for nervous-system threat responses.