Alicia64 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 The four of us took an audio tour of a Vanderbilt mansion in Asheville, NC over the weekend. The audio tour was about 1.5 hours long. Within 15 mins. of starting I felt physically ill -- as if I hadn't eaten enough breakfast and I was having low blood sugar. That's all my brain could figure. I sat down as often as the tour allowed. I had no food in my purse. Anyway, once the tour was done one of my boys said that he felt faint and nauseas through the entire tour. He had told his brother, "grab me if I start to faint." I had felt faint too. I couldn't believe it: we both felt ill from the audio tour. Afterwards we ate and we're fine the rest of the trip. Do you know what might have happened? TIA! Alley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Poor air quality? Pesticides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm37 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Were you wearing headsets? Is it possible the sound was not balanced? Do you normally get motion sick? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Is it possible that you and your son are allergic to something in the house? Flowers or a cleaner of some sort, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 3 minutes ago, Junie said: Is it possible that you and your son are allergic to something in the house? Flowers or a cleaner of some sort, perhaps? Maybe. . . I wasn't aware of an annoying scent or anything. I'm usually fine w/ perfumes, flowers, sprays etc. 6 minutes ago, Calm37 said: Were you wearing headsets? Is it possible the sound was not balanced? Do you normally get motion sick? We all had a set of ear buds to listen to the audio with. I'm not aware of ever having gotten motion sick. That's usually DH who can't go on roller coasters or rides that spin anymore. Or he gets sick. I might too, but I stay off of those rides. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 (edited) If they were noise canceling ear buds, it could have been the frequency emitted to block out the ambient noise. I have this problem with some over the ear noise canceling head phones, but not others. It has to do with the frequency and how much pressure is emitted on my ear drum. ETA: Link Edited April 3, 2019 by Tap 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Your inner ear deals with balance. If there's a mild disturbance, it's not enough to make you giddy, just enough to make you nauseous. I can't use earphones or ear plugs that close to my ear because it hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I was going to say what Rosie said. If I have a very mild cold, even if I'm not really feeling it yet or am mostly over it or even a day with hay fever then headphones or anything that really plugs my ears can make me feel mildly woozy. Or the house could be riddled with mold. I mean, you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Mold was my first thought, or those smell dispensers. But yeah could be the sound itself causing balance issues I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I agree with everything everyone else has said and add: - I can get some really low blood pressure readings during certain activities, which make me feel faint and/or nauseous. I've passed out from it many times. Standing around with periods of slow walking are definite triggers. The walking is not intense enough to raise my heartrate, and my natural low blood pressure is exacerbated by standing, especially if I lock my knees. You've probably seen me, I am the weirdo in that group tour that is basically doing jumping jacks and squats and calisthenics in an effort to keep blood pumping up to my brain... 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Biltmore always makes me feel a bit queasy. But for me I think it's mostly the crowds, and the motion of the crowds, and being inside. I've never been there when it wasn't wall-to-wall people. I don't like moving crowds anywhere, but it's considerably worse inside than outside (leaving a crowded inside event like a college basketball game or concert makes me feel that way, too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I would guess it had to do with the earphones throwing off your balance. We did a virtual reality tour once in the Netherlands, and I didn't last 15 seconds before I had to remove the earphones and look away from the screen, I felt so nauseous. It literally took me the entire afternoon in fresh air to recover. DS and DH were affected as well, though not to the same extreme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I’m going to vote ear phones too. That, in combination with all the people, probably did it. I just can’t wear ear phones on tours and not feel sick-ish. I’ve been on that house tour twice and didn’t wear ear phones either time. I try to avoid them at all locations and just look around or read the stuff available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 (edited) For audio tours, I'm just going to say that I agree with much of the above. I have allergies that mostly affect my inner ears in the form of fluid behind my eardrums. I work out 5 days a week, wearing earbuds, and when my allergies or bad (or I have a cold) the earbuds can knock off my equilibrium and make me feel faint, shaky and nauseated. Edited April 3, 2019 by tdbates78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istillluvpink Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 We did this tour a few years ago and my teen dd also felt ill. However I'm not sure it had to do with the audio but more that it was crowded and warm (we went in the summer). But who knows. My dh had to take her outside to the fresh and and to sit, while I rushed through the rest of the tour. We want to go back again one day but dd does not want to go inside. She did enjoy the gardens afterward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 This is all fascinating, I had no idea how audio headphones could have such an impact! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 It could have been sound frequencies. My dh is an engineer and we've had quite a few conversations about it. Fascinating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 13 hours ago, Alicia64 said: The four of us took an audio tour of a Vanderbilt mansion in Asheville, NC over the weekend. The audio tour was about 1.5 hours long. Within 15 mins. of starting I felt physically ill -- as if I hadn't eaten enough breakfast and I was having low blood sugar. That's all my brain could figure. I sat down as often as the tour allowed. I had no food in my purse. Anyway, once the tour was done one of my boys said that he felt faint and nauseas through the entire tour. He had told his brother, "grab me if I start to faint." I had felt faint too. I couldn't believe it: we both felt ill from the audio tour. Afterwards we ate and we're fine the rest of the trip. Do you know what might have happened? TIA! Alley I *loved* The Vanderbilt Mansion. We took the tour too and I remember really enjoying it. (My dad had enjoyed it so much when he went through he got the year long membership and took everyone he knew to visit when they came back) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 what was the temp like in the building? specific sound frequencies can cause those types of issues - and that could come through on the audio. or oscillation from the ventilation system. there's a classroom at my church building I can't be in - because of the oscillation of the fan makes me physically ill. most people don't seem to be affected - but I can't be in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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