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Facial Pain, Dizziness, going on 15 months - not sinus infection - PLEASE help
So allergies might not be the correct section for this but I am at a loss for the cause so putting it here among related posts.
I am SO desperate for help on this issue it is making me depressed so have turned to this. Please do not skip since a long post, as I feel it may be necessary to give all the details and not have people suggest things that are ruled out.
The main symptoms of my problem are a combination of facial pain in my cheeks, dizziness or feeling ‘off’, vision difficulties, and a rapid heart beat. I have read some posts online of similar problems, but all seem to revolve around sinus infections which apparently isn’t a problem for me. Given that I am a university student entering my final courses and this problem has persisted over 15 months so far, it has me incredibly concerned and doctors are either at a loss for my problem or just not willing to help.
Allow me to explain the past 15 months in more detail, perhaps someone has had some similar history.
So one day the end of May 2007 I was sitting on my couch studying as usual. I noticed pain in my cheeks and the bridge of my nose and some tightness in my forehead. This is turn seemed to affect my eyes as it seemed when I was studying that words seemed either over focused or doubled, at the same time. My concentration was affected and I would sit there rubbing my face. At this point I found decongestants seemed to help and I could go along as usual. I brought this up to my doctor and I tried various types of sinus medications as she was sure it was an infection. These didn’t help and one day I actually felt dizzy and unsteady. We assumed it was a side affect of the meds and I stopped talking them. I had short periods of panic and my heart would race when I didn’t feel right. At the end of June I went on a holiday to Miami taking a load of medications but alas I was 100% fine there and upon returning felt fine more or less (despite a crazy cold due to a moldy hotel room). Throughout the summer I would have the odd day of facial pressure, but nothing a decongestant couldn’t seem to relieve.
Starting in September symptoms started coming up more frequently and the beginning of October 2007 I had this dizziness feeling, not like I was going to fall down or things were spinning, but like I was doped up on medications and not 100% in control of my body. It was extremely difficult to get through school for the next 2 months. I went to two different ENT doctors, both saying my sinuses were actually fine. One said it was maybe stress but there was no real trigger point around any of this and I felt these symptoms were actually what brought on the stress. I tried a variety of nasal sprays with no real results. The doctor put me on prednisone for a week the end of Oct and I felt drastically better for part of that, only to slip right back into it again afterwards. When it all got extremely bad in November I went to emergency and they tried the prednisone again for 10 days but this time it didn’t work.
I have had problems with headaches/neck & back problems my entire life due to car accidents as a child but that I had actually felt I had gotten more under control with acupuncture for my back and dry needling to my neck and scalp to relieve the headaches, rather than traditional chiropractic which never had much results.
Throughout December 2007 my symptoms seemed to gradually subside a little bit. I did go for sinus acupuncture at the beginning of Dec, but given I have tried that recently too with no results, I’m not sure if that contributed in Dec after all. First the dizziness drifted away, and then the facial pressure and occasional swollen/stuffed up nose. From the beginning of January until later in March EVERY symptom drifted away. I still had extremely stressful periods in that time with school but nothing seemed to bring back the problems so I do not think stress is the cause. I was definitely not convinced it wouldn’t return, but hoped it was some virus I had finally kicked. Then one day later in March I got quite congested for a couple days, and some facial pressure, then suddenly the dizziness came back a week later and I was under my constant fog again.
It is very difficult to explain the dizziness.. it’s like an unsteadiness and my eyes seem to over focus. If I were to look at one thing, it seems like it takes longer and more energy to focus, and then when I switch to look at something else, it unfocuses, slowly moves and then longer to refocuses again (not minutes or anything that dramatic). I did have my eyes checked and they said there was a small area I could have reading glasses, but due to the nature of my symptoms this did not seem to be the cure. I also find that sometimes when I stare at something it suddenly pops out at me and overfocuses then becomes blurry. This is especially noticeable and troublesome if I am at any kind of store. All of this causes much eye strain, which on 'normal days' is not there at all.
Since the spring I have gone for a CT scan – no problem there. Allergy tests – very very slight allergy to mold but she definitely didn’t think it could contribute to all of this. The topic of seasonal allergies had come up, but have since been ruled out, especially since when I went to Israel for a month May-June (humid in some areas, dry in others) this was not an issue at all. However, upon my return mid June it came back, almost the same day. I had a few scattered days in July where I was fine, but I have been horrible the last few weeks again and terrified for the start up of school again. I am trying a mouth guard for possible TMJ but don't believe that is helping.
Nothing in my life changed during Jan-March so I have no idea why this went away and why it is still haunting me. When all of this acts up I have no energy and get depressed because I feel like I can’t function normally. It’s impacting all aspects of my life and makes me stressed and cry almost every day. I so desperately want a cure and have no idea what to do and doctors aren’t giving me any help. I had hoped upon graduation in the spring to get a job in the United States, but if this problem is still around I cannot even think of moving somewhere with no free health care.
If anyone, ANYONE can relate or help, please please please help me!
I am SO desperate for help on this issue it is making me depressed so have turned to this. Please do not skip since a long post, as I feel it may be necessary to give all the details and not have people suggest things that are ruled out.
The main symptoms of my problem are a combination of facial pain in my cheeks, dizziness or feeling ‘off’, vision difficulties, and a rapid heart beat. I have read some posts online of similar problems, but all seem to revolve around sinus infections which apparently isn’t a problem for me. Given that I am a university student entering my final courses and this problem has persisted over 15 months so far, it has me incredibly concerned and doctors are either at a loss for my problem or just not willing to help.
Allow me to explain the past 15 months in more detail, perhaps someone has had some similar history.
So one day the end of May 2007 I was sitting on my couch studying as usual. I noticed pain in my cheeks and the bridge of my nose and some tightness in my forehead. This is turn seemed to affect my eyes as it seemed when I was studying that words seemed either over focused or doubled, at the same time. My concentration was affected and I would sit there rubbing my face. At this point I found decongestants seemed to help and I could go along as usual. I brought this up to my doctor and I tried various types of sinus medications as she was sure it was an infection. These didn’t help and one day I actually felt dizzy and unsteady. We assumed it was a side affect of the meds and I stopped talking them. I had short periods of panic and my heart would race when I didn’t feel right. At the end of June I went on a holiday to Miami taking a load of medications but alas I was 100% fine there and upon returning felt fine more or less (despite a crazy cold due to a moldy hotel room). Throughout the summer I would have the odd day of facial pressure, but nothing a decongestant couldn’t seem to relieve.
Starting in September symptoms started coming up more frequently and the beginning of October 2007 I had this dizziness feeling, not like I was going to fall down or things were spinning, but like I was doped up on medications and not 100% in control of my body. It was extremely difficult to get through school for the next 2 months. I went to two different ENT doctors, both saying my sinuses were actually fine. One said it was maybe stress but there was no real trigger point around any of this and I felt these symptoms were actually what brought on the stress. I tried a variety of nasal sprays with no real results. The doctor put me on prednisone for a week the end of Oct and I felt drastically better for part of that, only to slip right back into it again afterwards. When it all got extremely bad in November I went to emergency and they tried the prednisone again for 10 days but this time it didn’t work.
I have had problems with headaches/neck & back problems my entire life due to car accidents as a child but that I had actually felt I had gotten more under control with acupuncture for my back and dry needling to my neck and scalp to relieve the headaches, rather than traditional chiropractic which never had much results.
Throughout December 2007 my symptoms seemed to gradually subside a little bit. I did go for sinus acupuncture at the beginning of Dec, but given I have tried that recently too with no results, I’m not sure if that contributed in Dec after all. First the dizziness drifted away, and then the facial pressure and occasional swollen/stuffed up nose. From the beginning of January until later in March EVERY symptom drifted away. I still had extremely stressful periods in that time with school but nothing seemed to bring back the problems so I do not think stress is the cause. I was definitely not convinced it wouldn’t return, but hoped it was some virus I had finally kicked. Then one day later in March I got quite congested for a couple days, and some facial pressure, then suddenly the dizziness came back a week later and I was under my constant fog again.
It is very difficult to explain the dizziness.. it’s like an unsteadiness and my eyes seem to over focus. If I were to look at one thing, it seems like it takes longer and more energy to focus, and then when I switch to look at something else, it unfocuses, slowly moves and then longer to refocuses again (not minutes or anything that dramatic). I did have my eyes checked and they said there was a small area I could have reading glasses, but due to the nature of my symptoms this did not seem to be the cure. I also find that sometimes when I stare at something it suddenly pops out at me and overfocuses then becomes blurry. This is especially noticeable and troublesome if I am at any kind of store. All of this causes much eye strain, which on 'normal days' is not there at all.
Since the spring I have gone for a CT scan – no problem there. Allergy tests – very very slight allergy to mold but she definitely didn’t think it could contribute to all of this. The topic of seasonal allergies had come up, but have since been ruled out, especially since when I went to Israel for a month May-June (humid in some areas, dry in others) this was not an issue at all. However, upon my return mid June it came back, almost the same day. I had a few scattered days in July where I was fine, but I have been horrible the last few weeks again and terrified for the start up of school again. I am trying a mouth guard for possible TMJ but don't believe that is helping.
Nothing in my life changed during Jan-March so I have no idea why this went away and why it is still haunting me. When all of this acts up I have no energy and get depressed because I feel like I can’t function normally. It’s impacting all aspects of my life and makes me stressed and cry almost every day. I so desperately want a cure and have no idea what to do and doctors aren’t giving me any help. I had hoped upon graduation in the spring to get a job in the United States, but if this problem is still around I cannot even think of moving somewhere with no free health care.
If anyone, ANYONE can relate or help, please please please help me!
After visiting different doctors, the following have been found:
1- While I can breath normally through my nose, after doing a CT Scan, they found that I have severe sinus blockage around my left eye, and in the forehead. The doctor advised that I will definitely have some relief after doing the surgery
2- Due to my frequent nasal infections, my GP order blood test related to the "IGA deficiency" and the results came back positive, however, there is no cure for that, but at least I know now that it is not safe for me to do blood transfusion as I might have some anti-bodies....
3- As stress might be related to this as well, I would like to mentioned that I used to suffer from panic attacks and I was on cipralex 20mg (Anti-depressant doctors prescribe in Jordan) for one year, which helped me to get rid of the panic attacks however, I still have some anxiety and I'm trying to workout whether this might be the reason or could be a factor to the pain and dizziness.
I'm due for the sinus surgery in couple of months, and will let you know the results afterwards.
Merry Christmas!
1- While I can breath normally through my nose, after doing a CT Scan, they found that I have severe sinus blockage around my left eye, and in the forehead. The doctor advised that I will definitely have some relief after doing the surgery
2- Due to my frequent nasal infections, my GP order blood test related to the "IGA deficiency" and the results came back positive, however, there is no cure for that, but at least I know now that it is not safe for me to do blood transfusion as I might have some anti-bodies....
3- As stress might be related to this as well, I would like to mentioned that I used to suffer from panic attacks and I was on cipralex 20mg (Anti-depressant doctors prescribe in Jordan) for one year, which helped me to get rid of the panic attacks however, I still have some anxiety and I'm trying to workout whether this might be the reason or could be a factor to the pain and dizziness.
I'm due for the sinus surgery in couple of months, and will let you know the results afterwards.
Merry Christmas!
1 Comments
I have exact symptoms. Do you ever experience fatigue with it. Cause in my case its the most debilitaing part
Thanks all for sharing your experience, I went through it all.
What I have is similar to most of the symptoms mentioned above, but to be more specific, this is what happened and where I'm now:
I'm 39 years old and I suffer from stress, osteoarthritis, bulged disc in the spine and another one in the neck. I used to suffer from sinus but it was treated last year in June. I also have TMJ on the left side which might be related to osteoarthritis or stress. I also get nausea and heart burn after every meal.
I get the headache and dizzensess most of the times, but not always, there are days where I'm running on the treadmill for 40 mins.
Last week, I had cortisol for 10 days, and I felt the old normal me. After the 10 days, I got severe headache which started on the left side of my head and behind my eye. After trying painkillers with no hopes, I went to the ER and they used a scoop to see my sinuses and there was no issue at all.
Today (after 7 days of continues headache), the pain moved to the upper side of my nose, I took Voltaren and it reduced the pain, but the remaining thing is heaviness in the same area and dizziness.
Today I remembered that I only get the headache when I try to concentrate, and when I try to concentrate I drink green tea and coffee. I feel like something between my eyes,and some times I feel as my eyes are crossed although that does not affect my vision.
I have booked appointments with different doctors, I will keep you updated with any useful information.
What I have is similar to most of the symptoms mentioned above, but to be more specific, this is what happened and where I'm now:
I'm 39 years old and I suffer from stress, osteoarthritis, bulged disc in the spine and another one in the neck. I used to suffer from sinus but it was treated last year in June. I also have TMJ on the left side which might be related to osteoarthritis or stress. I also get nausea and heart burn after every meal.
I get the headache and dizzensess most of the times, but not always, there are days where I'm running on the treadmill for 40 mins.
Last week, I had cortisol for 10 days, and I felt the old normal me. After the 10 days, I got severe headache which started on the left side of my head and behind my eye. After trying painkillers with no hopes, I went to the ER and they used a scoop to see my sinuses and there was no issue at all.
Today (after 7 days of continues headache), the pain moved to the upper side of my nose, I took Voltaren and it reduced the pain, but the remaining thing is heaviness in the same area and dizziness.
Today I remembered that I only get the headache when I try to concentrate, and when I try to concentrate I drink green tea and coffee. I feel like something between my eyes,and some times I feel as my eyes are crossed although that does not affect my vision.
I have booked appointments with different doctors, I will keep you updated with any useful information.
2 Comments
I have been dealing with all these symptoms mentioned above.Now to the sickstudent I say this;when these symptoms start coming on,set the book down,calm yourself down by controlling your breathing.I would feel these same symptoms come on and I would get my heart racing because I would start hyper ventilating myself because I would start freaking out about the way I'm feeling and that makes the symptoms even worse.Now I get up,walk to the sink and put some cold water on my face and breathe in deeply and out and my heart won't race.I get these feelings of being light headed and not quite there,like out of it,major pressure in head and ears and nose.I've been to all the doctors,ENT's,emergency room visits,2 cat scans.Severe headaches too,ringing ears,my head goes numb when I wear a baseball cap or tight winter hat.Also I have severe ear ringing,sounds like crickets chirping in my ears.Sometime when I'm watching tv just a camera movement will make me dizzy.Ears are constantly popping.The last visit to the ENT doctor(5 days ago) had me getting ears tested and then a prescription for vitamins(B2,CoQ10,Magnesium I really don't think they know what is going on with me or want to know.Symptoms are still on-going and I will check back to let anyone know if these vitamins work at all.I think I'm dealing with post concussion syndrome to my brain.I have had several head traumas throughout my life..both the CT scans were negative,it's probably something they can't see like the concussion thing.
I have been dealing with all these symptoms mentioned above.Now to the sickstudent I say this;when these symptoms start coming on,set the book down,calm yourself down by controlling your breathing.I would feel these same symptoms come on and I would get my heart racing because I would start hyper ventilating myself because I would start freaking out about the way I'm feeling and that makes the symptoms even worse.Now I get up,walk to the sink and put some cold water on my face and breathe in deeply and out and my heart won't race.I get these feelings of being light headed and not quite there,like out of it,major pressure in head and ears and nose.I've been to all the doctors,ENT's,emergency room visits,2 cat scans.Severe headaches too,ringing ears,my head goes numb when I wear a baseball cap or tight winter hat.Also I have severe ear ringing,sounds like crickets chirping in my ears.Sometime when I'm watching tv just a camera movement will make me dizzy.Ears are constantly popping.The last visit to the ENT doctor(5 days ago) had me getting ears tested and then a prescription for vitamins(B2,CoQ10,Magnesium I really don't think they know what is going on with me or want to know.Symptoms are still on-going and I will check back to let anyone know if these vitamins work at all.I think I'm dealing with post concussion syndrome to my brain.I have had several head traumas throughout my life..both the CT scans were negative,it's probably something they can't see like the concussion thing.
I have had the same symptoms for almost 5 years. I'm ready to quit my job that I love, because I feel so ill most of the time. Same symptoms...facial pressure, vision affected, dizziness....comes and goes. Used to go to the gym and work out, felt good at the time and then this cruddy dizziness started. Gained weight....no more gym. Too afraid of passing out at the gym. Just got off of a two week period where I felt amazing. Did nothing different. Then BAM! I am so nervous to fly out on vacation next week, as I have passed out the last two times during landing. Ive been to an allergist, and ENT, my GP and now onto a neuro consult next week. I'm 47 and I feel like I have no life.
I have felt this way for about a month now! In February I had a severe ear infection with vertigo I was treated with antibiotics. I still felt ear pain with dizziness so I went back again got another round of antibiotics with prednisone still felt sick! Now I feel dizzy like I am on a boat 24/7 very unstable on my feet and I have pain in the back of my head top of the head and forehead and my jaw ! I was just cleared by a ENT he assured me I had nothing wrong with my sinuses! Now I am waiting to get into a nuerologist!
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