Undiagnosed Vertigo Neuritis :: Constant Head Sensation/pressure, Nausea, Weakness
Jan 8, 2016
After eliminating everything from heart to thyroid and tests with different doctors for 2 years, the head pressure, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, and weakness have gotten much, much worse. Is it possible that an Otologist should be seen for diagnoses of of a problem with the nerves in my ear or a viral infection?This discussion is related to Constant head sensation/pressure, nausea, weakness, terrified!
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Diagnosed with VN with possible MAV in March 2015 and have progressed very very slowly, Life was liveable but not always great as still woke up in mornings with what can only be described as a hangover feeling which subsided as the day went on.
Suffered from what can be described as a feeling of a tight band running from my forehead across my head to the base of my neck but i just tried ti ignore it, however in the last few weeks i have stiff neck tingling nose and a head that feels totally full .........its like i have gone back 8 months and now i'm wondering if i have a problem in my neck as its always worse in the mornings anybody else struggle in the mornings with this?
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I am male and 26 years old. I have been suffering with the symptoms in the title pretty consistently for about 2 and a half years now. I used to have some relief from the symptoms for a day or 2 here and there or maybe a bit of relief for a few hours in the day but recently the symptoms are pretty much constant and I cannot shake them.
I have an overall mild pressure feeling in the head, its not painful but is just very aggravating and feels really strange. I also have extreme brain fog with this and like a fuzzy head, there is a constant cloud over my brain and I never have any mental clarity or a clear head. My cognitive function is extremely poor now, my short term memory is non existent, its scarily bad. I often feel, detached from reality when the symptoms are bad and suffer from de-realisation, although I think this may be down to some anxiety and depression I experience when the symptoms run me down. I also get random sharp cramping pains in the head, they are quite painful but do not bother me so much as they only usually last a second or 2, it varies on how many I get of these each day but its usually less than 5. It often feels as though my brain is malfunctioning somehow and my cognitive function and senses are all out of whack, its hard to explain. There can sometimes be a build up of these symptoms throughout the day and by the night I can feel like I somehow how the flu without a fever? Like I have the head pressure, completely foggy headed, I feel super unwell, weak, sometimes even start feeling cold. Also have night sweats usually for about 4 or 5 days each month, there doesn't seem to be any sort of pattern to them that I can notice, so not sure if they are relevant. Another thing I have is ringing in ears which is mild but seems to have gotten worse recently if that sounds relevant at all. The main thing that gets me is the odd head pressure/sensation and the utterly life hindering brain fog, my brain feels like it is coated in a dark blanket constantly.
I do suffer from anxiety, I know many of these symptoms can be caused or made worse by these symptoms. I dont doubt that anxiety is a contributing factor and the way I think about they symptoms probably makes them worse but I have come a long long way with my anxiety, I have good control over it, I haven't had a panic attack in a couple of years, I manage to control most of my concious anxiety and stay in a positive mindset. No doubt I still have some subconscious anxiety underlying and I am working on that but I am not convinced this is the route cause of my symptoms. I am in therapy for my anxiety. I do not feel I will ever fully recover while I have these symptoms hanging over me though.
I have been to the doctor about these symptoms, although I do think I struggle to explain them or put them across very well in the doctors office. I have have blood tests which are all normal. I saw a neurologist couple of years back when this started, had a CT scan which was normal, they put the stabbing pains down to icepick headaches and thought the other symptoms were probably made worse by my anx/depression. Since then I went away and have been on anti depressants etc with no improvement of symptoms. I have also had a few ECGs and a 24hr ECG as I have slow heart rate and low bp so thought maybe the symptoms could be down to low bp and lack of blood to the brain, doctors do not think think this is the case and all my results came back normal. I have recently been back to the neurologist who is referring me for an MRI although he said he is sure there is nothing sinister and thinks the symptoms are probably tension type headaches and made worse by and previous drug use, he only put it down to the drug use when i told him about it though so it seemed like a convenient diagnosis. I forgot to mention I used to take drugs on the weekends socially, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy on different occasions for a couple of years, I have had periods where I have felt ok since taking these drugs and do not really think they are the cause, I was not an addict this was just one or 2 nights a month at the weekends. So I have an MRI coming up but the neuro thinks it will be clear and obviously I hope it is and I am looking for other answers.
What could be causing these symptoms? Other than anxiety which i no can be a factor, but I have periods where my anxiety is pretty much non existent but these symptoms still build up out of nowhere and persist. I was thinking maybe some sort of allergy could be a possibility, I have tried cutting out gluten and lactose, this didn't seem to make much difference although I didn't stick to this for very long. I actually did a juice fast for 2 weeks with eating nothing other than fruit and veg juice put through a juicer to see if that would help but it didn't really give me any relief. Are there any other stomach issues that could cause this? I never have diarrhoea or constipation, my stools always float recently though, to the point of not being able to flush them, also whenever I have seen chance medicine doctors they check me out and say they think i have issues with digestion, i don't feel i have these issues but do wonder if there might be something in it.
Could there be something going on with the blood vessels in my head? Could it be a spine/posture issue? Some sort of epilepsy or electrical activity in my brain? I just have no idea now and am desperate for some relief. If anyone has any ideas or advice I would really appreciate it.
Oh just to add I am reasonably fit, I try go to the gym a few times a week and I do some weight lifting. I am a normal weight. I have been losing some weight recently which is a concern but I am still in a normal weight range for height and age.
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Does anyone else experience random head pains sometimes mild sometimes severe, or constant head pressure? Or headaches I feel like I'm the only one I have something going on in my head everyday and it's always one of these three right now I have a head pain on top of my head feels like some things sat on my head I hate it makes me anxious everyday
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went on a cruise over a mo. ago still having vertigo. Doc thinks it is Vestibular Neuritis. Any input? I had never cruised before.
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Back in February I experienced an odd episode while driving down a bright highway where the light flashed between the trees constantly. I started seeing aura and it developed into a major migraine (I've had a handful of migraines in my lifetime only, not chronic ones- I've also been chronically congested for about 2-3 years). It seemed like after this that I started having headaches mostly on the left side of my head based mostly around the ear and neck area. My vision blurred and then fixed itself, but then I started having this odd sensation while driving, like my eyes didn't know where to focus. My head was really foggy like I couldn't think, and when I shook it it almost felt sloshy,like my brain was sloshing in a fish bowl. The dizziness then began to get worse while looking at any type of technology or tv. The headaches weren't that bad (except for that first one in February), but my anxiety quickly took over. I had an MRI without contrast just before Easter,and it was fine. At this point they made me appointments with a neurologist, but not until April 28. The more I started researching, I also made appts with an ENT on April 27. I was miserable for about 3 weeks, until my antidepressant began to calm me down. AT this point I could watch TV and look at a computer again, as well as drive, but was still plagued with this disequilibrium. On another of my ER visits, the doctor said my neck was extremely stiff and to do PT or chiropractor. I went to PT and she asked if I'd had any illnesses around the time this started. I'd had a very bad sinus infection and was put on 12 days of steroids, and it was about 2-3 weeks later that all this started. She mentioned Vestibular Neuritis, and I've been doing the vestibular PT ever since April 1.
Fast forward to now, my disequilibrium is somewhat better, but not 100%. I still feel funny when driving or riding in the car, and I'm terrified to go on any amusement park rides with my family. I finally saw the ENT last week, with the hopes that she'd be the missing piece. Well, she said she bet it was migraines and told me to go to the neuro. She did however, scope my sinuses and they were extremely swollen and told me to use saline and a steroid nose spray daily or I'd be needing surgery in 10 years. I went and bought the sprays, but was really sad after hearing the 4th person tell me this was migraines when I feel like this isn't. The next day I saw the Neurologist expecting to hear the same thing, but she told me she thought it was my sinuses. She wants me to continue the nose sprays and come back in 2 weeks, as well as continue the vestibular PT. I asked her about the Vestibular Neuritis, and she said people have extreme vertigo with it, and I haven't had that.
My question is those of you who have been diagnosed with VN, was your dizziness vertigo? Or did some of you just have a feeling of disequilibrium,like not knowing what to look at? Also, how long has it taken you to regain 100% function? I'm going on week 12 of this, and am starting to doubt if I'll ever be back to 100%.
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I've been dealing with a VN diagnosis since Christmas. I've had blood work and a MRI, met with an ENT and a neurologist. Everything came back normal. I started twice weekly acupuncture in January and have since reduced that to once every two weeks. I did VRT exercises for several months. I am getting better. I highly recommend anyone suffering with VN to get acupuncture! I'm pretty sure it saved me.
That being said, I still have good times and not so good times (no longer called bad times. For the last few days I've been feeling more dizzy and this morning I woke up with a heavy feeling in my stomach/chest area. It almost felt as though my torso was numb. I regained feeling a few minutes after getting up. I've had a lot of chest/stomach area related feelings with my VN. Has anyone else had this? I'm wondering if my doctors missed something.
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I had Labs but it was kindly pointed out it may be VN as I didn't experience hearing loss. Anyway, I am nearly on week 5 of it now but I am a lot better. I'm not dizzy anymore but when I wake in the morning I feel quite unsteady on my feet. As the day progresses I am doing a lot better but once it's the evening I feel quite sluggish and nauseous. I can only stomach one meal a day and that's lunch. I feel way too sick to eat dinner. I am also still dealing with anxiety, mostly when I'm driving and I'm stuck at traffic lights. I think it's because I had a bad panic attack at the lights when my VN first started, and now I have in the back of my mind that if I have another panic attack at the lights I'm stuck! I am back at work, and I can do most things ok. I find supermarkets a bit tough, and loud busy places but I'm working thru it. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday as my GP had spoken about referring me on for balance therapy. My question is, can these sorts of "after effects" be quite common? Can they take awhile to completely disappear? Is there anyone else who also had anxiety with VN, but found it went away once they were 100%? I'm so grateful I'm no longer dizzy but I just wish I were 100% again! What's the typical time frame for VN? Sorry for all the questions, I felt quite alone until I found this site.
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Has anybody ever had a VN relapse as it seems i have after a year is it possible or have i just picked up another virus?
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Mine started with buzzing in my left ear, flickering in the left eye. I've had numerous exercises which worked at first but not any more. I feel like I'm walking on sponges and had went to see a physio and she is referring me to a specialist in Birmingham. She said it's the signals in my brain and a lot of things going on. Apparently its trying to compensate for my weak balance system. No one can give me a definite answer and its been going on for 7 years now! Anyone else out there who can relate?
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Condition: Most likely labyrinthitis (In my 7th week now)
Background info:
2 months ago at uni when I was in the gym, I was exerting myself doing weights and felt something pop in my left ear. I felt really faint and headed back...over the next few days I had severe vertigo/dizziness/nausea. I also experienced my first anxiety/panic attack when i felt these symptoms, which to be honest felt worse than the actual symptoms. I went to the uni GP and she said I had labyrinthitis (though she did no tests). I also recall not having any flu like symptoms so I'm not sure how it could be viral labyrinthitis. Thankfully all symptoms vanished within 1 week.
Life was back to normal. However 3 weeks later, I was back home for the summer and had been back in the gym for a week or 2 when I felt really lightheaded and faint again. Sometimes I feel like this in the gym when I exert myself so didn't think much of it. I came home however and experienced another anxiety attack. The dizziness/vertigo etc was MUCH LESS severe than the initial attack 3 weeks ago at uni, however it has persisted for coming up to 7 WEEKS now.
Currently:
Over the past 7 weeks, I have had good days and bad days...good hours and bad hours. I went to the local GP who once again said the symptoms matched labyrinthitis without doing any tests. He prescribed some stemetil (which I took only twice as it didn't help and also because I have read everywhere online that it only slows down the recovery from labyrinthitis).
I tried just walking around, passing the ball about with a friend to 'retrain' my brain. However, the symptoms were still in the background and didn't really seem to disappear. But I did feel much better then than I do now.
For the past week, everything seems to have gotten worse. I have spent more time in bed than normal as my friends are on holiday at the moment and I'm not sure if this is the cause? As I'm no longer carrying on with things as normal.
Other info:
Since day 1, I have also had a popping sensation in my left ear every time I swallow.
Head feels heavy. Neck aches. Feel a pressure within my head/ear.
Though I have had anxiety attacks a few times, lately it feels like I'm on the verge of one all the time.
I also have other normal symptoms such as feeling nauseous, tiredness etc.
Very recently, it feels like my vision is a part of the problem too. My eyes feel very heavy and like I cant focus on things. Also, the last few days, I see little flashes of lights which aren't actually there (this has only happened about 3 times in as many days)
Note: I have finally managed to get a specialist ENT appointment, which isnt for another 5 weeks unfortunately, but better than nothing. I'm sure at that point, they will confirm it to be labyrinthitis or something similar as the symptoms all match.
Questions:
Is there anyone else in a similar situation as me? How are you dealing with it?
I have done some generic VRT exercises, but it doesn't seem to help too much. Thoughts about VRT?
What triggers your symptoms? For me it's been hot weather, shower, loud noises, bright lights, dim lights and more (nothing specific).
My anxiety seems to be triggered by anything that I think is abnormal, e.g. sudden tingling somewhere on my body, sudden temporary noise in my ears, sudden temporary dizziness etc etc. All of which is probably normal, but they seem to trigger anxiety when I feel like this. Does this also happen to anyone else?
Are there any tips to control the anxiety? I swear its a lot worse than actual dizziness.
Are there any tips to control the dizziness? Such as VRT or others. Is it better to stay active and feel worse for a short while or should I just stay in bed?
Any other useful information?
WILL THIS EVER END?? I have read some success stories, but will it really take months to years??
Is it also true that even if it goes away, it can come back any time in the future? This is what scares me the most as it seems there is no permanent cure.
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5 weeks ago mid morning my head started spinning violently I had no balance and was sick. I felt hot but had a cold sweat .my wife called an ambulance and was taken to a&e . blood tests showed serious infection so was admitted and put on antibiotic drip and oral anti sickness and anti vertigo pills . 2 days later the sickness was much better and the vertigo better as long as I did not move my head .however I still felt very lightheaded and had no balance so stayed in hospital . 4 days on no change so I had mri brain scan which showed nothing . next day i saw ent and doc diagnosed viral vestibular neuritis . further blood tests showed infection clear so I was discharged and told to do the head moving exercises I had been shown .5 weeks on nothing has improved I cannot drive play golf and feel like I am drunk when trying to walk .how long can this last I feel I am not living but just existing.
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It all started when I had a 'funny turn' at work back in November 2013. I'll never forget that day as I haven't felt the same since. I thought I was having a panic attack as I just felt wrong. Strange not really here sort of panicky feeling so I went home and went to bed. I woke up to an even worse fuzzy vision panic feeling and had to lie on the floor while calling nhs emergency number as I didn't have a clue what was happening to me. I calmed down eventually and made my first visit to the doctors who said it was a panic attack and prescribed diazepam. At the time I didn't want to take medication as I felt so unusual. I knew something wasn't quite right. I continued feeling extremely anxious panicky and off balance for weeks on end along with continuous tearful visits to the doctors explaining that my vision was disturbed and my eyes were flickering along with pressure inside my ears. Eventually after about 8 weeks of hell I got an appointment with a balance clinic who did testing and confirmed right ear damage and confirmed vestibular neuritis. I am just posting to see if anyone has experienced the same symptoms as me as when I read posts about VN it seems that I can never find the same symptoms as mine which scares me to death ) : here goes: - I can't think straight, avoid people because I feel I can't hold a conversation because I'm sort of panicky and don't feel like the old me, I have moments of real panic that come out of the blue because I just don't feel right, very small things stress me out like even just someone at the door! I know it sounds silly but I'm just a panicked mess having to put on a front to everyone. The worse symptom at the minute which has gone on for a long while is a pressure in my chest/back that doesn't go. I've read somewhere it's muscle strain due to my balance but I just don't know what to believe anymore. My thoughts are just different since I've had this, I don't know where my old personality has gone. It's like I'm hyper aware that I'm not right. Anyone's advice would be much appreciated, I've had this since November 2013 and I am doing gaze stability exercises 5 times a day. I'm having good and bad times but generally feel a nervous wreck. It's so draining. Alcohol doesn't even relax me anymore, it just makes me more lightheaded and panicky. Sorry for such a long moany post but no one can understand why I have been so weird for months.
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Hi All, I've been diagnosed on April 20th. It was hell for 3 weeks... then I started Vestibular Therapy and acupuncture. I have also increased my Vitamins and started talking to someone about the anxiety related to the ongoing symptoms that is caused from the Vestibular weakness... we'll I have improved! It's a very slow road but if you told me a month ago today that I would go out for a 2 mile walk I would have thought you were crazy. Well I did, today and it felt great. Yes the last half mile I felt off but after coming home to relax it passed. I've be decided that the dizzy and the anxiety will not control me any longer. I'm taking control of my life. I guess this post is for all who are giving up hope like I felt not too long ago. I still have a ways to go..I haven't seen my friends yet and haven't gone back to work yet but that will come in a few weeks. A Lot of it is mind over matter. And when I feel off and dizzy I talk to it...and do meditation. MEDITATION does work! !! So basically just do whatever you can to get by... eat better and drink water. I know VN is hell and the Vestibular weakness that comes with it. JUST DON'T GIVE UP!
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I had a stroke in cochlea vestibular nerve August 2013 causing me total deafness in left ear and balance problems. Doctors cannot tell me why it happened. I had rehab, went home felt ok but reality hit when I started to resume the normal activities of life. Live with continual pressure in head, finding difficult in shopping centres, moving my head or turning quickly .I have had mri's, infrared video goggles, test for BPPV - do not have that - thank goodness. Find Difficult travelling in car, going over bumps. I can still drive. I still work as my job is sitting mainly. The most difficult thing is, as I look well my family do not take my condition seriously and I am really struggling with that and have bouts of depression and stress and anxiety make my head much worse..
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I am a fit, healthy 28 year old guy who has spontaneously developed severe high blood pressure, temporal pressure headaches, dizzy spells and blocked ears. The symptoms vary, with acute periods lasting a couple hours and occurring on a weekly basis. Generally an acute period is characterized by severe headaches, needing to lie down, blocked ears and extreme lethargy.
I have had CT’s and MRI’s of the brain and cervical spine, PET scans, ECHO’s, a multitude of blood tests and various other tests with no abnormalities.
I gym 4 times a week, eat healthy and work as a hairdresser, so my lifestyle is pretty healthy overall.
This condition is starting to limit my lifestyle and with two years of no answers I am putting it out there for someone to recognize or provide advice about what could potentially be going on!
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I've been having those 3 symptoms for about 2 months now. I'm a 22yo male, 6 feet tall, 160 lbs.
The head pressure was the first to show up. It feels like if someone is pressing their palm against the top of my head, its very light and 80% its not bad or painful, its just -there-, but sometimes the pressure rises up and it can be quite overwhelming, making me having to stop whatever I'm doing.
Painkillers used to work, now they don't anymore, although I think it's because I started to use them way too much.
Since about 2 weeks ago, I started to have dizziness and head fog. It's like if I'm "typsy" all the time.
This all started a few months after I had to quit my job since I'm preparing myself to live in another country, I'm short on cash and I have arguments about various things related to that almost daily, making me think that this might be an anxiety issue.
3 days ago I had to go to the hospital because my BP spiked up (180/104), and since then the pressure/head fog became 10x worse. I keep catching myself hyperventilating throughout the day, having cold sweats and hot flashes.
Thoughts keep racing in my head that I have a brain tumor and how that would wreck my life even if its a benign one.
Something that makes me feel better is that I'm not having any seizures, nose bleeds or actual real bad headache, its just a weird pressure, which calms me down a bit at the possibility that its a tumor.
Also, sleeping is the only thing that makes the pressure/dizziness go away, although it gets bad again throughout the day. Today I've tried to oversleep a bit to see if it was a sleep deprivation issue and it made the pressure better but the dizziness way worse.
I've already scheduled a cardiologist/neurologist, but I can only go friday so I still have some days to worry myself to death over this.
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Night before last I woke up 9-10 times with the sensation you get when you drive over a large bump in the road too quickly, or when you pass over the high points of a roller coaster. I'm wondering if my heart is skipping a beat, or have I stopped breathing and I'm waking up trying to catch my breath? I've had some issues with chest pain lately, and they haven't found anything yet. They still have to do the stress test and ultrasound. Has anyone else experienced the "floating" sensation I am talking about? It's strong enough that it wakes me up.
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for about a week i have had periodic "heat flashes" in the back of my right leg from the foot to the back of the knee. Not painful, but odd sensation like hot compress being applied. happens 8-10 times a day when i am sitting or standing. Had a severe leg cramp, charlie horse, about 1 1/2 weeks ago so thought symptoms might be related. went to my MD who told me no danger of blood clot (would be very severe pain, swelling, hot to touch). said probably related to leg cramp and advised me to do more walking (i sit in an office chair all day) and to do exercises consisting of pushing left down down as far as it will go for 5 seconds, then arching up for 5 seconds, for 10 times. She likely due to spasms and that hot flash is due to when blood vessels stop dilating (???). I will try this recommendation for one week and will let you know, but I am not very confident that this will work.This discussion is related to Strange feeling of heat in my leg.
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Iv'e been feeling head pressure and slight ear pressure for over 3 weeks now and it has been a nightmare for me. I went to the ER a couple of times and they diagnosed me with tension headaches. I do have a history of anxiety but I must say that I've never experienced such discomfort. Tylenol, Naproxen, nothing helps it go away thus far... I had CT of my brain done which came back normal as well, blood work too and that came back normal as well. I'm currently taking antibiotics because I was told that I have fluid in my ears but the antibiotics are not helping at all. I guess I'm not convinced that anxiety is causing these symptoms. Normally, during my anxiety attacks I experience heart palpitations, hot flashes and shortness of breath and it lasts only like 15 minutes or so, but this head pressure is ongoing all day nonstop. It makes me feel like I'm going to pass out but I know I'm not. Each day I wake up hoping and praying that it's gone for good but that day has not gotten here yet.
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I've been suffering from brief and extremely intense dizzy spells for about the last six months now, which are becoming more and more frequent. During a dizzy spell, my ears feel very full, my eyes stop focusing/text becomes very blurry, and I can't move without losing balance. Triggering factors include:Eating (usually a severe spell after every meal) Drinking cold water Listening to the radio/watching TV (my job requires that I do this all day) turning my head or changing position quickly music or concerts (I am also a professional musician and spend 10-12 hours per week practising or playing gigs) Fluorescent lights Alcohol (I can't drink more than half a pint of beer in an hour, or I get particularly extreme waves of dizziness)
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