Atlanta , Georgia ( CNN ) -- It was August , 2011 , the night rebels seized control of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi 's compound and Tripoli fell . I 'd already done a couple of business shows earlier that day and was about to go home when the news broke . I ended up staying on the air through 4am . I did n't know it then , but I was having my own attack as well . First , the harsh studio lights . I could barely focus my eyes on the camera in front of me . Fortunately , we do not use teleprompters in breaking news situations . It 's almost all ad-libbed . There was no way I could have read any words on a screen . Organizing sentences in my brain became increasingly difficult -- and it was n't just the usual fatigue from a sustained marathon of breaking news at CNN International . By the end of it , my face felt numb , and I thought this must be what it 's like when someone 's having a stroke . Out of the studio , the racket of my earpiece out of my head , the lights dimmed , I immediately felt better , made it home and flopped into bed . When I awoke the next afternoon , it was all `` Alice in Wonderland . '' The room , the hallway , the doorframes , everything was on a tilt . I was so dizzy , I had to hold on with both hands to walk down the hall . This was my first major flare-up of a compromised vestibular system , the complex network of the inner ear , the brain and the eyes we never think about , but is largely responsible for keeping humans upright . One doctor thought it was Ménière 's disease since I had previously suffered hearing loss in my left ear . I was terrified . Am I going deaf ? No one could answer . It took a couple of months , but I finally found the right doctor who specialized in vestibular disorders and who nailed it right away . I also learned I was in good company . According to the Vestibular Disorders Association ( VEDA ) , an estimated 35 percent of Americans aged 40 or older experience vertigo or persistent dizziness sometime in their lives . That 's about 70 million Americans . NBA stars Pau Gasol and LeBron James , and the NHL 's Sidney Crosby and Chris Pronger are just a few famous professional athletes and public figures who suffered vestibular problems related to concussion or injury . Some have been career-ending . Many cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed . Having a chronic vestibular problem is a bit like having a hurricane inside your head . While the disorder is often associated with brain injuries , anyone can get hit . In my case , it was a combination of the hearing loss and the work environment : bright lights , loud noise , intense stress and fatigue which are all typical in the life of a news anchor on a 24-hour , international network . Florida-based chiropractic neurologist Dr. Ted Carrick , who sees patients from all over the world , including dozens of celebrity athletes , says : `` People lose their autonomy with vestibular issues . `` There is nothing better ... than when I see a person who ca n't walk without their hands on a wall get their life back . '' Carrick points to the prevalence of falls which he says are the greatest cause of accidental death after the age of 21 . `` We have tens of millions of patients at risk of falling and do n't even know it . `` You can feel good because the brain compensates , but the compensation is n't permanent and it is n't full . `` People are aware of heart attacks and cancer , but they 're walking around in a bigger time bomb . '' Cynthia Ryan , Executive Director of VEDA , adds : `` Many of our members tell us that they feel they have an invisible chronic illness . `` Their symptoms and condition are not always acknowledged , leaving them to deal with the devastating consequences on their own . '' That 's where public awareness comes in . VEDA promotes `` Balance Awareness Week '' to encourage undiagnosed patients to seek help from a vestibular specialist . Reducing the time it takes to be diagnosed could save lives . In my case , a quick diagnosis and the right therapy put my life back on track . Although protecting my hearing , and managing fatigue and stress mean TV anchoring is out , I 'm passionate about advocating and mentoring the next generation of journalists at Georgia State University . It 's a slower , calmer life , but it 's also a balanced life , literally . `` Balance Awareness Week '' in the U.S. is September 15-21 . VEDA has partners in the UK and Australia as well .
Colleen Williams finished a shift anchoring breaking down so dizzy she had to hold on to the wall to stand . She was diagnosed with a vestibular disorder , something that affects about 70 million Americans . Balance Awareness Week , from September 15 - 20 in the U.S. , hopes to raise awareness . The awareness campaign is backed by the Vestibular Disorders Foundation .