Allergy, intolerance, or viral? i get vertigo when i eat nuts, chocolate and caffeine, and basic dizziness from other foods. started after shingles.

Labyrinthitis: Depending on which nerve root was affected by your shingles outbreak, you may have "irritated" nerves that innervate the labyrinth, or balance centers of the ears. If shingles was not a case of the head and neck area, then i recommend a simple blood test such as imunocap, which tests for food allergies, thus helping you identify allergies directly and minimize your exposure to them.

Inner ear issues?: If the nerves related to your inner ear get swollen they could easily result in feelings of vertigo/dizziness. Perhaps the foods are causing the nerves to swell? Post nasal drip and eustachian tube dysfunction might do it. Chinese medicine or cranial osteopathy might help. Diazepam is a western medication that would effectively treat symptoms.

Dr Chuu agreed