Laugh it up, but it's real. Your utricle contains calcium crystals called canaliths which are basically used by your body as a gyroscope, informing the brain of the angle your head is in. This is why an ear infection or damage to the ear can cause balance issues like vertigo and nausea as the body cannot properly detect the angle you're in. Same reason why we also have motion sickness.

It's closely related to the types of dyslexia that are not caused by cognitive issues, rather issues with the vision.