Neck Ache, vertigo, very tired and everything seems very loud

[leealan666]

Hello

I am 40 year old with no history of illness at all ever not even colds
.
I started having balance issues, like vertigo dizziness, everything seems loud in particular after I have been lying down and sit up. Lately I have severe neck ache at top of neck where it meets the head and pressure on top of head ( not a head ache just pressure) and feeling very tired . I have had loads of blood tests, all clear. Sugar levels all OK. Heart checks all ECG, Echo cardio graph clear. In fact in great shape according to doctors. Also had eye checks and everything OK.

Things seems to be getting worse.

Now just had an MRI and awaiting the outcome. Had checks with Neurologist who did all the reflex and balance and sense checks, everything looks OK.

I get tingling in face under ear and pressure on top of head. They have given me something for the dizziness, that seems to be working.

Something tells me this may be ears nose and throat related but Doctors are off mission with other things.
A big clue was that it got worse when they cleared my ears out back in Nov and I had been having some water discharge from the ears.  

Can anyone suggest what I should be asking my doctor to check ?

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

I am not sure what you mean by the term dizziness. When some people use the term dizziness, they often mean vertigo, or room-spinning. Others mean a light-headed, whoozy feeling.

If by dizziness you mean vertigo (room-spinning), the causes could be either the inner ear or the brain. Inner ear causes of vertigo most commonly include benign positional vertigo (BPPV), which is due to small particle in the inner ear that moves out of place, and can be repositioned with simple head maneuvers. The symptoms often include vertigo that occurs with turning of the head, often while turning over in bed. Another cause, if your symptoms are associated with tinnitus (ear ringing) and hearing loss is called Meniere’s disease and can be treated with medications and sometimes surgery. And so on, several other causes from inner ear problems exist.

Vertigo can also be due to problems in the brain. The most common is a benign tumor called a schwanoma (also called acoustic neuroma). This is diagnosed by MRI of the brain. Multiple sclerosis can cause vertigo, but often, other symptoms are present as well. A normal MRI of the brain excludes multiple sclerosis. It is good that you have had an MRI of the brain to rule out structural/neurological causes for vertigo.

Thyroid problems can also lead to vertigo.

If by dizziness, you mean headache, you may have a migraine variant (i.e., basilar migraine). You will need to discuss this option with your neurologist if this is the case. It requires an accurate diagnosis since it is treated with medications such as calcium channel blockers.

If by dizziness you mean light-headedness, you may have low blood pressure such as due to dehydration or autonomic dysfunction, cardiac problems, and several other non-neurologic causes. Anemia can cause light-headedness as well. It is good that you have had a thorough cardiac evaluation.

I suggest you continue working with your physicians. As you can see, dizziness can have multiple causes. It may be worthwhile to participate in vestibular rehabilitation (physical therapy). These exercises do help with dizziness.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[leealan666]

Thanks for the advise. Yes this is Vertigo. I have some tablets for the Vertigo that have also stopped the sickness. So I am left feeling tired and have a cycle of aches at the very top of the back of my neck.

This could be stress of worrying about this as I am never ill. The tingling in the hands and feed remains and the tiredness. Doctors have completed MRI and this is all clear. Which is a great relief.

They are looking at other avenues now, blood and glands and also having a tread mill test to see if anything odd is happening when I exercise.

Has anyone else out there have these sort symptoms ? I am hoping this is not one of those mystical Viral things !!!!!!