COURSE · PART 2 · MODULE 8
Module 8 — Sensory, Visual, Balance, and Dizziness Symptoms
Sensory, visual and dizziness symptoms often overlap in daily life, but they are not all the same problem. This module separates assessment, access and rehabilitation into smaller pieces.
What this module teaches
- Functional sensory and visual diagnoses need positive clinical evidence and appropriate assessment of other causes. [1][2]
- “Dizzy” can describe several different experiences; PPPD has specific criteria. [3]
- Accommodation can create access now, while gradual rehabilitation remains a separate choice.
- Treatment evidence is early or mixed, so the plan should be individualized and reviewed. [4]
Pages
- Numbness, Altered Sensation, and Hypersensitivity — focused guidance on numbness, altered sensation, and hypersensitivity.
- Visual Symptoms and Photophobia — focused guidance on visual symptoms, light sensitivity, assessment and access.
- Dizziness, Balance, and Vestibular Overlap — focused guidance on dizziness, balance, and vestibular overlap.
- Sensory Overload, Accommodations, and Gradual Change — how access and chosen rehabilitation can work together.
Inside each page: Person with FND · Supporters · Clinicians · Research
Every page in this module uses these same four main sections.
Research and Sources
| Citation | Figure | Full citation |
|---|---|---|
| [1] | — | Nielsen G, Higgins R, Stone J, Coebergh J, Edwards MJ. Functional sensory symptoms and signs: a case-control study of 102 patients. Brain Communications. 2026;8(1):fcag031. FND-CIT-0023. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcag031 |
| [2] | — | Ramsay N, McKee J, Al-Ani G, Stone J. How do I manage functional visual loss. Eye. 2024;38:2257–2266. FND-CIT-0024. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03126-w |
| [3] | — | Staab JP, Eckhardt-Henn A, Horii A, Jacob R, Strupp M, Brandt T, Bronstein A. Diagnostic criteria for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD): consensus document of the Committee for the Classification of Vestibular Disorders of the Bárány Society. Journal of Vestibular Research. 2017;27(4):191–208. FND-CIT-0027. https://doi.org/10.3233/VES-170622 |
| [4] | — | McCombs KE, MacLean J, Finkelstein SA, Goedeken S, Perez DL, Ranford J. Sensory processing difficulties and occupational therapy outcomes for functional neurological disorder: a retrospective cohort study. Neurology: Clinical Practice. 2024;14(3):e200286. FND-CIT-0035. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200286 |