By Jill Foster

PUBLISHED: 21:29 EST, 13 August 2012 | UPDATED: 21:29 EST, 13 August 2012

Nigel Kilvington was on holiday in Lanzarote with his wife Hazel when he realised something was not quite right with his balance.

I noticed I was wobbling while going up and down stairs, he says.

My balance felt off and then my speech was slurring a little.

Ataxia is Greek for 'lack of balance or order'. There are at least 50 types - many of which are rare

It was worrying, but as Hazel is a nurse we knew it wasnt an emergency because the symptoms had not happened suddenly.

'We wondered if it was the heat.

I felt fine in other respects, so I didnt seek medical attention in Lanzarote I waited until I got home a few days later, says the 44-year-old, who works for U.S. bank Citigroup in London.

At home in Brentwood, Essex, Nigel visited his GP.

Excerpt from:
The dizzy spells that mean you need to see the doctor