Questionnaires enquiring about the number of patients with vertigo and/or disequilibrium seen in various clinics and the frequency of vestibular examinations were sent to 50 neurosurgeons, 36 neurologist, and 38 internists specilalizing in cardio-vascular disease.
The percentage of patients with vertigo and/or disequilibrium seen on a certain day was 10.0% in neurosurgery, 12.5% in neurology, and 5.8% in internal medicine clinics.
Some vestibular examinations (standing test, gait exam, writing test, and observation of spontaneous nystagmus and voluntary eye movements) were performed quite often in neurosurgery, neurology, and otolaryngology clinics. However, other examinations such as positional and positioning nystagmus tests, electronystagmography, caloric test, optokinetic nystagmus test, eye tracking test, observation of body sway, and rotation test were less frequently performed in neurosurgery and neurology than in otolaryngology clinics. All these examinations were performed less frequently in internal medicine clinics.
