more of an unsteady, swaying type of feeling. Went to ER about a month ago with it, they said probably fluid buildup in ears. Had a CT brain scan about a month before that because I was having a fullness type of feeling in my head(felt like head was filling with blood,then draining and a clicking sound I could feel and hear. Not in my ears, but in my head! When the clicking slowed down, the fullness went away. NO swaying, unsteady feelings with that though. Dr's had no idea what the clicking or fullness was. They told me I wasn't having a stroke,bleeding or tumors. I followed up with a Dr.(no insurance, felt like it was a waste of my money)who told me my ears looked fine. Said it was probably stress/anxiety. The only stress/anxiety I have is when I have these weird swaying,unbalanced feelings. It's really hard to explain this. Have you ever been sitting in a car and the car next to you backs out and you get a feeling like YOU are the one moving? Standing on a floating dock (attached to the shore) someone walks on it and you have to hold on for dear life 'cause you feel like you are going to fall off? Standing and all of a sudden it feels like the floor moved? If you have experienced any of these sensations, that is sort of how I feel without actually doing any of these things. I used to bend my head down to brush my hair then throw my head back (adds great fullness and body..lol)but there is no way I can do that now. I don't have these feelings all the time but enough times through-out the day to get on my nerves. Also, when I go to bed if I turn my head all the way to either side, I get a fullness and hard pulsating in my head again.If I look ahead, the feeling stops. I asked Dr's if a vein was being pinched and they said no...said they are very proctected against things like that. Sorry this is soooo long but I need some answers and need to know if anyone else has ever experienced ANY of these things. Thanks in advance.

Dizziness can be a symptom of so many things. If you do not have an inner ear problem, have some blood work done. Thyroid dysfunction, post viral fatigue--epstein-barr can cause dizziness. Testing hormones and antibodies for certain viruses can give your doctor the answers.

Check out Mal de Barquement Syndrome

Thanks for your replies. I had bloodwork done and everything was fine. I also checked out the other conditon that was mentioned and that was for people who have been on a cruise. I haven't been on a cruise but I do have alot of the same symptoms.I thought for sure thats what I had until I got to the part where it said it happens after being on a cruise for a few days. Went to Dr.'s appointment last week and said I had fluid in my left ear. I don't think that is the problem because my ears were checked when this was happening and I was told they were fine. I just wish I could figure out what is causing these sensations. It sure takes the joy out of everyday living. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

Hi LadyinNY,
When you mentioned the feeling of being in a car and seeing the car move beside you and it feels as though your the one moving......boy oh boy.....that's me! I year ago this past May was when it all started. I did go on a cruise and that's when it all started....never went away. I went to doctor after doctor and all my tests came back normal. This feeling of be unsteady/lightheaded was ruining my life. I then became depressed because I didn't feel right and didn't want to do anything or go any where and I'm an outgoing person! I finally started visiting the stress & anxiety board and learned a lot. I am taking amytriptyline (sp?) 25mg at night and boy do I feel better. It's an anti-depressant, but I'm not as dizzy anymore. Some days I'm 100%, but then there are those days when I still feel like the floor is shifting on me. I was going through a lot of stress during that period of time in my life so I just excepted that this was all stress and anxiety. I'm not saying this is the same case for you, but I just wanted to share my experience with you. I hope you feel better and figure out what's going on with you soon.
Take care!

OMG...I'm not the only one with this problem. What a relief. Ya know, my dr. says he believes its just stress and has prescibed xanax. 20 years ago I suffered severe panic attacks so bad that it developed into agoraphobia. I was trying to remember if I had this same type of feeling back then. It seems to me I did have this swaying, floor shifting, light headedness, etc.,back then. I have been going through alot of stress this past year. My mom passing away, starting my own business etc. I sure don't want it to turn into the panic attacks I suffered with for 4 years. I've noticed also that I have good and bad days. Some days no swaying etc. at all. Other days I have it all day long. You say you went on a cruise though. Maybe you have the Mal ??? (sp). Did you ask your Dr. about it? Anyway, I am so glad you replied. I feel better knowing I am not alone. Thank you http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif p.s. I haven't taken any of the xanax yet. I wasn't really sure if I needed it.

Hi LadyInNY,
I am just reading your reply now, so I hope you get this. It does sound like you've been through a lot of stress lately and I am sorry to learn about your mother's passing. How have you been feeling these days? I am still on and off, but I am so thankful it's not like before. This did all start after the cruise so I was convinced I pick up some inner ear virus or something. The ENT checked everything and I was fine. I never did have an MRI done, but that's when I started visiting the Stress & Anxiety board to learn that what I have is depersonalization/derealization. I just feel as though I am outside my body looking in sometimes and that's when the lightheadedness hits.....strong! So, now I know when I begin to feel that way I take deep, deep breaths and tell myself it's "okay". Funny thing is, my ears still get full at times and that is why I had thought I had an inner ear problem......go figure. Well, I hope you doing better!

Hi LadyInNY,
Your post was awhile ago so I don't know if you've managed to get your dizziness treated successfully. I had the same problem starting early this year and found it very hard to describe it to my doctors. I went to see a neurologist because I had a stroke a few years ago and wondered if my dizziness is related. The doc didn't think so since my stroke has 'stabilized' but he did prescribe me Duxaril (almitrine/raubasine) and is used to treat dizziness related to hypoxia. It did help within 24 hours, as it did with his other patients who complained of 'unexplained' dizziness. I wasn't sure if the drug was the reason I felt better as I have other ailments but last week I ran out of it (I'm out of the country at the moment) and in less than a week my dizziness returned. The difficulty I had describing the dizziness is because it isn't the usual vertigo, the room doesn't spin, I don't lose my balance and I can turn over in bed with no problem. What I do have, I can only describe as going on INSIDE my head, the movement is inside my head and more like a gentle (but unpleasant!) swaying, like what you described about being stationary next to a car yet feeling as I'm the one moving, and I get this very heavy feeling in my head such that there is a dull ache. It's not a headache but the heaviness in my head, as if it carried a bucket of water inside, makes it hard for me to hold it up for long. Coupled with this dizziness I have fatigue and breathlessness which is due to a potassium problem though the docs said my dizziness is not related to the other two. Thr Duxaril did help, though, and you might want to check it up on the net for yourself. At first, I put it down to stress and anxiety and I still don't rule those out but the Duxaril helped by getting more oxygen to my brain. Elaine0706

HI, also have had swaying feeling for 6 weeks now, they say it is either BPV or Labrynthitis and that there is fluid in my inner ear. It's slowly getting better but v slowly. I hate feeling like this. Have you tried Cranial Osteopathy???

I've been dealing with these symptoms for two and a half years! Seen over 70 different docs, had thousands of dollars worth of tests, and still haven't gotten an accurate diagnosis. You start staggering like your drunk - I know the feeling. We are finally coming to the conclusion that this is inner ear related as other possibilities (MS, tumors, etc) have been excluded. You may have one or more different things. Some of the possibilities are: benign paroximal positional vertigo (seems to be brought on by certain head movements); labrynthitis, vestibular neuronitis, cervical arthritis, seizures, MS, Chiari malformation, or peripheral neuropathy. And the list goes on. As you can see there are many different things which can cause such symptoms. The key is in finding a good doctor who is willing to look at all the possibilities and eliminate each one through testing until they find the cause. It may be a long hard road; but dont give up hope. You are your own best advocate. And remember that when a doc tells you that nothings wrong because the tests say so - a lot of times it simply means that they cant figure it out. Good luck, and God bless.

------------------
Praising Him,
Lori

Have your symptoms lessened Lori? Any ear feeling or inner ear fluid buildup? Is it still there when you are sitting or just walking? Sorry for the questions...

I come back to these boards once in a while to see how everyone is feeling. These boards were a savior to me when I was going through exactly what you all are going through. I was "dizzy". Felt disconnected from my body and not with it. I had fullness and pressure in my ears and the clicking and pounding, etc. Went for every test under the sun, MRIs, CT scans and scopes and probes and drugs and bloodwork... you name it... I tried it. NOTHING worked. I was fine and the 10 different doctors I went to told me "I was fine." I can't tell you how many prescriptions for vallium and paxil I had but never filled.

After a year of hell. I found a doctor that told me I may have a condition called Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Your eustachian tubes connect from the back of the nose to the middle ear. Apparantly if this tube becomes inflammed or infected, it will cause the symptoms we have and are experiencing. There is no one good test to check for ETD. However something called a tympanogram can indicate a eustachian tube problem. They are not always accurate, as I am living proof.

Anyhow, I received a simple procedure in the office where they put little tubes in my ears. The same kind kids get for middle ear infections. Let me tell you... 2 weeks after the procedure the fullness started going away, and 2-3 months later the dizzyness went away. Now, I can't promise any of you that ETD is what you have since there are so many possiblities. However, I hope maybe someone can benefit from my story.

You can email me if you have any other questions about my condition and treatment... I would be happy to help if I can. wchambers@hessert.com

Good luck to you all and don't give up... My thoughts are with you all!

Love, Wen

Wendy, my ENT said that if you had a problem with your E tube, when they use that equipment to check for middle ear pressure, it wouldn't come back normal. Is that right? Also, with ETD do you always had hearing problems?

I have the same dizzy unsteady feelings almost every day for the last 20 years. Thought it was only panic and anxiety attacks, but now wondering if the unsteadiness gave rise to the anxiety. I did have some middle ear infections and they said eustachian tube dysfunction, so maybe that is the reason. I will see an ENT again this week and hopefully something will come of it. I had two brain MRIs recently and they ruled out acoustic neuroma and say the brain looks fine. There is still a hyperintense signal 7x4mm that they say could be a nonpneumatized portion of the petrous bone. I don't know what that means exactly. I do know that something is making me even more dizzy lately and it is really limiting me, like no gym for the last six months! If anyone has any thoughts or advice, I am open. Thanks you all!
Steve

Hi,

I'm in NY too. I've had these symptoms (and others) since April 1995. Very distressing and anxiety provoking.

I too have had all the testings (some repeatedly) and been seen by many specialists. I have not received a firm diagnosis.

I also have had to find new ways to blow dry my hair and (sometimes) shave my legs - depending on how my symptoms are doing.

Ask your doctor first, but you may want to try mixing plain aspirin with a teaspoon or two of Children's Liquid Benedryl. I have found that this combination helps lessen the symptoms and take the edge of the headaches that usually accompany my wooziness.

xo

LadyinNY, Subie and toropv:

Hi there! I also have those same symptoms that you describe in your first post LadyinNY but I also have suffered the dizziness and room spinning round. It bothers me a bit that you and Subie are putting your symptoms down to anxiety and stress alone. It sounds very much to me like you both have inner ear problems and it is probably these that are causing the anxious feelings (or at least making them worse - I know you also have had a lot of stress to deal with). The same to you toro4pv!
I think with me the anxiety is a result of the balance problems. For years I didn't even realise I had ear problems and I thought my panic attacks were just due to some stressful things in my life, but since I have found out I have a balance problem it has explained a lot. I hope you push your Doctors and find out what's wrong.
You poor things. I really hope you find some answers soon and feel a lot better.
I just want to add one more thing.. when I went on tablets (Betahistine) I think they actually made my dizziness worse and made me feel more muggy-headed. So be careful with medication too.
Sorry for long post! Just don't want you to think you are badly anxious when you might have a physical reason for it!

Feel better soon!
Katkin x x x

Anxiety CAN play a part in causing or increasing physical symptoms.

But I agree that feelings of disequlibrium are not ALWAYS caused by anxiety and stress. Just because a physical symptom does not reveal a root cause by routine medical testing does not mean it doesn't exist.

When I first started experiencing vertigo and disequlibrium feelings (and all the weird sensations that go along with that), I was in complete panic mode once those symptoms didn't go away. My world for a while became so small due to fear that I wasn't even able to take a shower by myself, let alone drive down the street to the corner store.

Many studies have been done that reveal that the majority of people experiencing balance problems develop anxieties/fears/phobias. Our sense of motion is our center. We sense motion with almost all of our senses. When our center and senses are off, it impairs judgment, you begin to doubt how your body works, the world feels foreign, and the routine sense of every motion becomes an enemy. You can't walk right, think right, feel right. You move when you're not moving, and trying to sleep becomes a nightmare. On the outside you look fine, but inside your are SCREAMING for relief and calm. You have no peace of mind. Of course being out of balance is going to cause anxiety - when our center is off, we are off.

I think for me, the biggest thing that helped me cope was knowing that I was physically healthy, and getting some counseling to learn to cope with the overwhelming anxiety that came from having these symptoms. It's easier to deal with these symptoms when you can be a little more objective about them; once I was able to get a better emotional grip on my anxiety caused by these distressing symptoms, I was better able to push myself to work through them, and cope better when I wasn't able to do much but wait until the more noticeable symptoms had passed.

Hi I also have the same feeling I have on going problems now for 12 years this last spell has been the longest. I just had a baby 6 weeks ago the last 2 months of the pregnancy were really bad. I can't seen to get rid of it this time. I feel a burning in the ears as well as pressure. I have bad nystagmas also. just wondered if you have that also.

Yep I had/have those symptoms too Shannon! You're not alone don't worry :)
Hope you feel a lot better soon. Maybe pregnancy caused water retention in your inner ear and affecting your balance? It's a possibility as I know this can occur with periods. Hope you feel better soon!
Katkin x x x

Yes they think increase in dizziness due to pregnancy when you have an existing vestibular disorder is due to fluid retention and hormone changes. My specialist to told me to stay clear from pregnancy as it does cause problems -thats fine for the moment but I hope im better in 5+ years when I want to have kids and im not avoiding pregnancy for the sake of this head monster - just hope I get a supportive husband to deal with me ;)

xxx

Hello all,
About 4 years ago I had (what I thought was) an inner ear infection. I was sitting in a hot car in the middle of a summer day when I started to black out. I tried to shake it off and noticed it was getting worse. As I leaned to the door of the car to get out and call for help I got my vision back. Feeling scared I decided it was best to get home which was about 5 miles from where I was. The whole time in the car I kept feeling more and more dizzy. By the time I got to the house I ran sideways to the bathroom and stayed on that floor for the next few night hugging the toilet. To scared to move and go to the hospital I stayed home hoping it would all pass. Days went by and before I knew it, it had been almost 3 months with me not leaving the house and still walking with my head tilted. I finally decided it was time to get back to life and went to stay with a friend. We went to the lake around the corner and stayed out on the boat and did a little swimming. By the time I got back home it started all over again. The dizziness came back strong and I was back on the bathroom floor hugging the toilet. When I was stable enough to get back out I went to the doctor and they did some blood work (which came back normal) and a few other things. Nothing serious showed up. One doctor said maybe a mild ear infection the other told me anxiety/panic attacks. I was one of the most ventures and happiest people alive till this all happened so I know its not depression or anxiety. After all this happened, driving home one day I felt dizzy and the next thing I know I pulled over and was sitting on the road rocking back and fourth. That was the first time I had a panic attack. I was so afraid it was going to happen again, I jumped in the truck and flew home. I turned out to be ok but because of all of this I have learned what panic attacks are and now they come more often. I still feel dizzy mainly when the pollen is bad. Allergies, sinuses and weather seem to have an effect on the dizziness I still feel. Like others on here, I can sometimes just turn my head and it seems like the wrong things are moving. I dont feel the kind of dizzy that would make me just fall but I do feel like I might need to hold on to something. I have looked up everything possible and there seems to be no answer.
I am teaching myself to overcome the fear of it happening again but since I have taught myself what panic attacks are its hard to bypass them when I still feel dizzy.
I did read one article on vestibular disorder but I still dont know what it could be.
Has anyone ever had an experience like this. Inner ear infections that have made it hard for people to ever regain their equilibrium and start having anxiety?
Sorry so long. Thanks Dally

Hello all,
About 4 years ago I had (what I thought was) an inner ear infection. I was sitting in a hot car in the middle of a summer day when I started to black out. I tried to shake it off and noticed it was getting worse. As I leaned to the door of the car to get out and call for help I got my vision back. Feeling scared I decided it was best to get home which was about 5 miles from where I was. The whole time in the car I kept feeling more and more dizzy. By the time I got to the house I ran sideways to the bathroom and stayed on that floor for the next few night hugging the toilet. To scared to move and go to the hospital I stayed home hoping it would all pass. Days went by and before I knew it, it had been almost 3 months with me not leaving the house and still walking with my head tilted. I finally decided it was time to get back to life and went to stay with a friend. We went to the lake around the corner and stayed out on the boat and did a little swimming. By the time I got back home it started all over again. The dizziness came back strong and I was back on the bathroom floor hugging the toilet. When I was stable enough to get back out I went to the doctor and they did some blood work (which came back normal) and a few other things. Nothing serious showed up. One doctor said maybe a mild ear infection the other told me anxiety/panic attacks. I was one of the most ventures and happiest people alive till this all happened so I know its not depression or anxiety. After all this happened, driving home one day I felt dizzy and the next thing I know I pulled over and was sitting on the road rocking back and fourth. That was the first time I had a panic attack. I was so afraid it was going to happen again, I jumped in the truck and flew home. I turned out to be ok but because of all of this I have learned what panic attacks are and now they come more often. I still feel dizzy mainly when the pollen is bad. Allergies, sinuses and weather seem to have an effect on the dizziness I still feel. Like others on here, I can sometimes just turn my head and it seems like the wrong things are moving. I dont feel the kind of dizzy that would make me just fall but I do feel like I might need to hold on to something. I have looked up everything possible and there seems to be no answer.
I am teaching myself to overcome the fear of it happening again but since I have taught myself what panic attacks are its hard to bypass them when I still feel dizzy.
I did read one article on vestibular disorder but I still dont know what it could be.
Has anyone ever had an experience like this. Inner ear infections that have made it hard for people to ever regain their equilibrium and start having anxiety?
Sorry so long. Thanks Dally





Hey dally well I know what ur sayin.. has anyone ever figured out what works.. SInce I been off the Effxors that I used to take.. its like everythin is different.. I am dizzy all the time too to wher it feels as if I am fallin.. I too need to hold on to things.. LEt me know what works.. hope this site is still visited.. thanx alison

I have had the same sympthom 3 months ago. In my case, I did the following:

1. Take Duxaril initially 2 tablets a day and later 1 tablets when feeling better. I also take Nurobien (Vitamin B1, 6, 12) 1-2 tablets a day.

2. Do exercise. Do not panic and stop exercising. I just go against it by jogging on threadmill, mild weight lifting and importantly take Yoga or Body balance classes as it helps me stabilize myself better when the swaying feeling comes.

It is key that you prepare your body/mucles to be very strong esp. your legs which you do depend on to stabilize yourselve when the feeling comes.

3. When the swaying feeling come, I will move less and stay clam, take a nap, take some snack, etc. to divert my attention. When you need to walk with the swaying head, focus in fewer directions with your head and back straight up and look ahead in one direction. Try to widen your two legs apart as it helps your body balancing. Move your eyes together with the head; do not move your eyes around without head moving. Do not starve yourselve as it worsens the feeling.

4. Sleep more or at least enough. When I really cannot sleep, I take Rivotil to relax. For me, if I take other stress-relaxing tablet, the feeling increases.

5. I take less oily and less sweet food to lower my cholesterol and trigycerides so blood circulation work better. Taking some hot food with chilli, it help stimulate my blood circulation and feel less swayed too. When watching TV or computer, I take a longer distance and watch less too as the hard-working eyes will worsen the swaying feeling.

This is how I deal with this foreign visitor and feel better but I have no idea how long it will stay with me but at least I can live on with less suffering.

Please note that your will power is key. Sometimes just pretend that it does not stay with you. Hope those who visit this site will benefit from this information....more or less. All the best.

Hello ladyinNy:wave:
I had to comment on this post because I too have those same exact feelings as you, and then some.. My Dr. seem to think mine is anxiety/panic related as well.. But I am still not convinced atthis theroy.. I wanted to mention I also take xanax which helps calm these symptoms down.. I don't know if you have tried yours yet and have gotten any relief.. I posted a long post on the anxiety board about this very topic.. This is what I wrote that I thought I would share.
Here is what it is like for myself, I get a floating feeling, intense Falling to the side & backwards sensation, sinking to the ground feeling, a motion sensation as if I am swaying on a boat, and my favorite the good old dropping feeling you get on an elevator.. The "elevator sensation" I also feel like my head is very heavy foggy and swimmy and some days just have trouble holding it up! All these sensations I experience on a daily basis mostly 24/7 The only time I don't feel this way is if I am laying down, it seems to subside then. I have gotten many eye rolls from the Doctor's I have seen in the past.. As if these feelings were being made up in my head.. These daily sensations have caused me more anxiety and intense panic attacks.. It seems as soon as I experience any one of these sensations my panic attacks kick in full force..
OKAY so now the big question we all ask "can anxiety really make me feel dizzy" The ANSWER is yes, Doctors have known for many years that psychological disorders, such as anxiety, can cause symptoms of dizziness and imbalance. This type of dizziness was given the nonspecific name of psychogenic dizziness. Here is what I have learned through my years of struggles with anxiety related dizziness, and believe me I research and research and ask my therapist to explain it over and over again..
What disorders are associated with psychogenic dizziness a question all of us on this board commonly ask, well the truth is Several studies point to a specific set of disorders that can cause symptoms of dizziness and imbalance. All these disorders are in the anxiety disorder family and include panic attacks, certain phobias, and chronic anxiety disorders.
What symptoms are the symptoms? How does your dizziness feel? Another question we all ask on this board, the answer is Psychogenic dizziness will present with a variety of symptoms including lightheadedness, feeling heavy headed, feeling a pressure sensation in the head, feeling far away or detached from the environment, feeling like they are going to fall, and sometimes even the feeling as if you are going to faint.
Can something else be causing my dizziness? Another question that floats around here as well. And the answer is yes, inner ear disorders are the most common reasons for dizziness, In fact inner ear problems that have completely resolved but the symptoms still persist, despite the resolution of the inner ear disorder can happen. In this case I was told and found VERY interesting is that it appears the inner ear disorder triggered an anxiety, panic, or phobic state. In this situation, the psychological disorder perpetuates the dizziness, despite the fact that the underlying inner ear disorder has resolved. How interesting is that!!! I couldn't believe that when I was told by my Doctor.
Well I never had a ear infection or disorder, so what else could it be? Another question that goes through our minds.. The answer is there are several physical disorders that can present with symptoms similar to those experienced with psychogenic dizziness. Some of these conditions included anemia, thyroid disorders, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disorders, hormonal disorders.. Just to name a few. But keep in mind these disorders present many other serious symptoms and NOT JUST dizziness. So you see my anxious friends, We all know we are on this board because we suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder, But we tend to question the symptoms of our anxiety. And question whether or not our dizziness can really be just related to our disorder. And now you see that it in fact can!!!! Anxiety Disorder can come out in us in so many ways not just dizziness, and I think it should be know that the mind is a powerful weapon and sometimes when we suffer from this condition we tend too become so sensitive to what we feel .... I know that's how it is for myself!! I hope many of you can relate to my post as well as find comfort in knowing IF YOU are one of the Psychogenic dizzy suffers you are in fact Not by any means alone!!! I am a suffer as well...
If you found interest in this post perhaps my post titled My Disease Called Anxiety would be helpful to you as well. This is also located on the anxiety board... You Just have to search for it.... :) I hope you found this of intrest and of course some comfort in knowing you are by no means alone on this one.. I have felt this way for the past couple of years with no answers!!
If you find an answer or magic pill let me know.. I'll pay a million dollars at this point to have my life back!!!! Good Luck any thoughts let me know..
Boxerlover:wave:

hey guys, just wanted to add my 2 cents! Have been on this ship for 3 1/2 yrs now. My swaying,rocking bobbing, etc is 24/7. I don't have an answer either. Was dx with BPPV. But no one knows why I went from the room spinning to this constant motion. There is NEVER any peace. Am under some very heavy stress and everything has intensified. It is a horrible way to have to live and I pray someone comes up with an answer for all of us, until then we can just pray. Belle

I just found out a new way of getting swaying feeling that I would like to share here just in case it will work for other people as well.

I stopped Duxaril as it made me dizzy at the end of each day.

My doctor prescribed me Sermion for almost 2 weeks. The feeling seemed to reduce but not completely and then my doctor prescribed me Zoloft and I took it for 3days now the feeling was almost gone. I also had Chinese agricuncture for 2 times, one last week and one this week around the neck, shoulders, head, forehead and palm.


After taking Zoloft espcially, my neck is less painful, my head is lighter, my mood is better and my eyes can focus better and longer.

I do not know which one (Sermion, Zoloft or treatment) works or all works altogether in combination to get rid of the swaying feeling. Now I realize that my symptom is related to stress, anxiety where was deep-rooted.

I feel that this formula might work for the case where it was caused by anxiety/stress.

Hope that it is useful for some if not the whole.

I seem to be suffering the same problem, but with the added bonus of an intermittent stiff/aching neck, back and rear thighs. It sound stupid but these secondary symptoms seem to come and go with the dizziness and fullness in the head - initially I found it hard to believe that an inner ear problem could cause this but searching round the WEB it seems to be quite common (as is muscular weakness) .
It's also interesting to see that several posters have been informed that they are suffering from anxiety/panic attacks - I am currently being weaned off Mirtazapine (zispin), and had wondered if this had any bearing on the dizziness problem.

Good to hear that I'm not alone in this,
Trevor

Hi Trevor,
Yus, it's really common for sufferers of inner-ear conditions to have anxiety (I think it's pretty rare for someone with a balance condition to not have anxiety in fact), because, quite simply, the unpleasant physical symptoms make them feel anxious!

To quote scotsman9 in one of his replies to me once "Anxiety is one of the major conditions driven by an inner ear disorder". and to quote Subs30 (who was quoting from the Centers of Excellence Balance Center web site) "Finally...psychiatric complications such as...anxiety are almost too obvious to mention."

Btw I also often get a stiff achey neck, I had some physio for it for a while (as I had read that some balance problems are caused by neck problems) and it really helped. However, the physio decided my balance problem wasn't caused by my neck & said he couldn't see me anymore doh! (NHS budget!)

Katkin :)

After I switched around among all medicines that claim to cure dizziness eg. serc, sermion, duxaril as well as anti-depressant like Zoloft, the dizziness was still with me until I went to get Chinese acupuncture treatment, my feeling has improved.

After all the thinking and efforts to find out what caused, I believe that the following are my causes:

1. Stress/anxiety. I remember that I suffered stress for years without knowing and my neck was stiff for 3-4 years even before I got the attack. The week before I got the attack, I was deeply in anxiety.

2. When the attack hit me, anxiety only added to the symptom. Then my neck was stiffer, headache like migraine, ear and eyes could not function well. Woke up a few times at night. Ulcer problem as a result of stress and sleeplessness, etc.

Here are the latest treatment I got.

1. Chinese acupuncture treatment. Doc tried to open up all the routes in my body which could possibly be blocked for blood supply to inner ear. Simultaneoulsy, it relaxed and loosen all the muscles around neck, head, shoulders which interact with the feeling of imbalance. I had this 4 times plus muscle relax training, the feeling is really better. I feel that this is the way to go after all the medication and vicious circle!

2. I also take Chinese herbal medicine which cures my ulcer/digestive problem (resulted from stress) and stimulate the blood flow.

3. I tried Calmzyme which is modern herbal medicine which promotes sleep and reduce anxiety. If anxiety is still around, the symptom will never go off. I also took Digestzyme to help the ulcer problem plus Lecithin 1200mg which has also Colene to help the brain function.

4. I did meditation to calm my mind and reduce anxiety too. If our mind is still worrying about the disease, the disease will stay forever.

I did quite a number of things and it seemed to work now. It is not easy to find a good doc for acupuncture but luckily I happened to find him. Thanks God and hope that God will bless you all and lead you all to the recovery.

Ooh excellent :) I might try acupuncture!
I'm so glad you're feeling better :D

I too have been recommended accupuncture by various sources - I may well give it a go as we have several practitioners nearby. Meanwhile, my primary symptoms seem to be abating after 5 1/2 weeks, not gone, but noticably dimininshed. The 'thick head' feeling still remains (it's rather like a bad head cold) but I tend to get only occasional dizzy spells, especially with rapid head movements or bending.

None of the anti-nausea medications prescribed by my GP had any effect on the dizziness, only the accompanying nausea - so I gave up even trying new ones.

Dear Friends:

I would like to update my latest status so it might benefit some of you if not all. I had now 8 times of acupuncture and my symptom is almost 100% gone.

Pl also make sure that you get the right doctor who really knows the spots for putting the needles. My doctor is a forensic doctor who also studied acupuncture so he knows exactly the spots that lead to inner ear. They put about 20 needles on 20 spots mostly the back of the neck, around ears and then less on shoulders, chest, upper back, lower back, and legs. All these mentioned spots interact in terms of muscles; we can feel when we walk, the muscles at the leg have the sensation up to the head and vice versa and that's why we sway when we walk.

Then after putting all needles, they put electricity on top of each needle to stimulate the blood flow for 20-30 minutes. I had this treatment every other day and then every 2-3 days. They gave tips for neck and shoulder muscle training (I can forward the pictures if needed). I did the training twice a day HARDLY together with treatment. The training will speed up the whole recovery process.

Importantly you need to build your own confidence and happy mind as this positive attitude will help get rid of it faster. I took 3 weeeks vacation during my treatment so I was free from work tension and recovered fast.

Good luck to all of you and happy new year. I came back to visit this site as I know how painful my life was before and would like to give as much infor as possible for those interested.



My doc told me that the imbalance was caused by the tightened muscles around the neck and shoulders which affect up to muscles around ear and head which made me feel sway when I walked and turned my head. I remember I used a lot of computer and had cumulative stress for years which caused my stiff neck and head.

I am 48 and my dizzy spells started last Feb. starting with a Huge vertigo attack in the middle of the night laying on my right side. scared me to death. After that I continued to have foggy / fuzzy head feel. I also had increased allergy symtoms, tired all the time, sore muscles, sometimes blurred vision, frozen shoulder, dry eyes, bladder infections and on and on... Took 1/2 zanax everyday.

I went to all the doctors had many tests and everything was just normal. I was going out of my mind. Finally my period started sooner than expected and I thought about pre menopause symtoms. After looking at those forums and so many other women with the exact same symtoms I figured, not the doctors, who not once mentioned it could be that. I started taking vitamins, exercising and using progestone cream from the health store and all, I mean all my symtoms including the foggy head went away.

I still have days where some things come back now and then but not as bad at all. Any women over 40 with the foggy head should check into that. I also got put on the pill to control my period for a vacation and never felt better. Just my 2 cents...

11 weeks down the line and still suffering. I thought some weeks ago that my symptoms were fading, but alas this wasn't the case. The dizziness isn't the real problem (although it is the reason I can't work at present- due to the nature of my work) - its the aches, pains, fatigue and general feeling of being unwell when I stand for any length of time or walk any distance. Also, I am having problems in crowds of moving people, a sort of confusion - apparently this is due to the brain's difficulty in trying to retain balance, so that it's ability to multi-task is affected.
I have just seen an ENT specialist who told me my underlying balance is OK but I am suffering from bi-lateral labrynthititis, which should have only lasted a few weeks, but can occasionally last for much longer. I was given a set of balance exercises to carry out daily which should help me back to normal more quickly when the labrynthitis goes, but it seems it's still just a waiting game.

Hello all

My problems with dizziness and light headedness started last May out-of-the-blue one day and the spell lasted for about 20hrs. I would have dizziness, lightheadedness, feel like the floor is swaying and feel heavy-headed, but no nausea. Definitely like the feeling described above when a car beside you goes forward, or when you are laying on a dock. Laying down and not moving my eyes is the only thing that calms the dizziness. If I can't find a place to rest in time I'll start lose my balance. After my first spell, I would have a bad episode about every two weeks for the rest of the summer. In between episodes I started noticing a hypersensitivity to certain things (severe motion sickness, bending over, moving my head to fast, working on the computer), and it was usually one of these triggers that were involved with a bad episode, but even after removing myself from the trigger I would have severe symptoms that lasted for several hours (usually 6-10hrs).

The frequency of episodes started to increase (2-3 times a week) when I was back in school in Sept. I'm sure the stress/anxiety was involved in this - although, as others have said, it was the stress/anxiety of not being able to function normally at school because of my dizziness that caused the stress/anxiety! I have suffered from migraines (without aura) since I was 11 or 12. I take 20mg of amytriptyline every night to help with the headaches and have been very high-functioning until the dizziness started.

When the MRI and other tests came back normal, I decided to try coming off the birth control I was on (Tricycle-lo) to see if this improved anything. Because my migraines are hormone-related, birth control can worsen the headaches (and associated symptoms light dizziness) from the estrogen. Although I've been on birth control for years and never had any problems I had to switch to a higher dose about 4-5 months before my first episode. I didn't think this would be the problem since the dizziness didn't start for a while after, but I decided to try it.

Almost immediately after stopping the birth control my dizziness dramatically reduced. I still have residual hypersensitivity to the things I mentioned above, but as long as they are minimized I did not have any long-lasting episodes for the first month off the pill. Since my menstrual cycle returned normally the first month I didn't think I would have any more problems (as it's often normal to have irregular periods after coming off the pill). However, now that I'm in my second month off the pill I started noticing mild symptoms more frequently (never a full-blown episode, mostly a hypersensitivity that will go away if i rest). I was starting to get discourages, but it turns out that I actually ended up skipping my period this month (and not pregnant), so I am becoming convinced that there is a link to my dizziness and wacky hormone changes. Which also seems consistent with the reply about dizziness associated with pre menopause. I'm hoping once my regular cycle works itself out that it will return to near-symptom-free as it was that first month.

So for the females out there suffering, definitely consider that the pill may be contributing to your symptoms, especially if you suffer from migraines already and/or you've had to switch to a different brand that contains high estrogen levels.

I have began to give up hope. I have had all these same feelings and had an MRI and a cat scan done and everything came back fine and normal. :confused: I just do not know what to do anymore about it. I feel like I am handicapp. I have a hard time checking the mail at times or washing dishes. Basic things have became a major deal. :( I would give anything to feel normal again and be able to hang out with my friends and go walking again. I wish someone was around me who really knew and understood how I am feeling... :dizzy:

I have began to give up hope. I have had all these same feelings and had an MRI and a cat scan done and everything came back fine and normal. :confused: I just do not know what to do anymore about it. I feel like I am handicapp. I have a hard time checking the mail at times or washing dishes. Basic things have became a major deal. :( I would give anything to feel normal again and be able to hang out with my friends and go walking again. I wish someone was around me who really knew and understood how I am feeling... :dizzy:

Oh Leslie :(
I'm so sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad.
But please believe me that you can and will feel better. It just might take a long time and hard work. There will be a time when you can go walking with your friends again. I know, it's so hard when the people around you don't understand.
When it's something like this, that people can't see, you get minimal sympathy. Double frustrating of course is the fact that the only doctors who seem to know properly about balance and inner ear stuff are neuro-otologists, and none of the more easily accessible types like GPs & ENTs who may look at you like you're mad. But you're not, it's just due to their lack of knowledge and expertise in this area.
The good thing is that many of the people here know how you are feeling :) And know lots about balance problems.

Don't worry, you are not alone.
This is a difficult thing to get through, but you can do it.

And please don't chastise yourself when you can't manage things. (You wouldn't feel like this on purpose!) It's not your fault you're feeling poorly. Try and take things 1 step at a time. Sometimes just completing a little list of simple tasks can be uplifting and is a start.

Don't give up hope. Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free as the old Shawshank strap-line goes. And it's true.

You mention having an MRI etc and the results say there's nothing wrong... well that's a massively GOOD thing right! Be happy! :D
Just because the MRI results don't show anything, doesn't mean you don't have balance problems. Are you seeing a neuro-otologist?
There are exercises you can do which can help you readjust and learn to balance again. Best if they are specially tailored for you.
Sorry I haven't been on this board for ages (although I think about it and it's members every night) so I don't really know how much you know or your situation is.

Even though it's hard to believe right now, trust that you can and will get better :)

Be strong Leslie. Sending you postive healing vibes and a massive hug.