Neck injury cause dizziness, nausea, inability to concentrate,

[Rescuepoor]

Hi, Thank you for your time. Over the period of 22 years, I had two serious riding accidents (former horse trainer). 1st was landing on my head (with helmet) when I was 15.  Final accident was May 2000--horse fell. Landed flat on my back. Diagnosis:  2 herniated cervical disks (C 5/6, C 6/7); stenosis, degenerative disk disease.  EMG showed constant stimulation of triceps due to pinched nerve at C 5/6.  Also have headaches, nausea, dizziness, neck and back pain, poor ability to think and articulate when vertical for periods of time.  When my neck has been in certain positions for too long (such as using a video camera), I am slammed by a wave of nausea, diarrhea, my face flushes, pupils sometimes dilate, and feelings of impending stroke. I will often have tremors for up to 2 hours after. For 7 months folllowing my last injury, blood pressure readings of 150/120 to 160/90 until the anti-inflammatories "kicked in". Can often "count" (feel) my pulse (w/o using my fingers) in my neck. If I use ice to reduce the inflammation, I fall asleep within 2 minutes and wake up hours later. Have been since "diagnosed" with a brain tumor, heart condition, thoracic outlet syndrome, and MS (brain tumor and heart condition have been ruled out.) Neurosurgeon said my neck is not causing my symptoms.  Vasodilators help considerably, as well as caffeine. Two MD boyfriends both thought I wasn't getting enough blood to my head when vertical.  Recent MRA does not show constriction of carotid or vertebral arteries.  What could be going on?  Can my arteries be constricted without showing up on MRA?

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

It may be interesting to see if there was any evidence of a contusion to the spinal cord in the neck as the nerves that supply the GI tract, blood vessels, heart etc and control their natural responses run through the neck and can be injured in a traumatic accident. There are several tests that can test these nerves such as tests of the pupils, blood pressure and heart rate response to valsava (holding your breath), heart rate response to deep breathing etc. These tests can be done in any neurology dept that has an autonomic nervous system specialist such as the Cleveland Clinic.

Also, there is a lot of sensory feedback from the neck to the brainstem and head - so neck trauma or pain can cause symptoms attributable to the vestibular system (vertigo, nausea) or other closeby structures potentially (nucleus ambiguus - GI symptoms, nucleus tractus solitaarius - blood pressure). If this is the case the main goal is to treat the neck problem with specialized physical therapy, muscle relaxants, maybe botox, analgesics - to recuce that abnormal sensory feedback.

I cannot be more specific inyour case without a full evaluation but hopefully these mnight point you in the right direction.

[BenG]

Hi, I also have similar symptoms. I sometimes can feel my heart beating (particularly after straining my neck). I too believe the blood supply to my brain is not sufficient, despite having had 2 MRAs which did not find any problems. Will be interesting to see what the doctor says. I am not convinced MRA is all that sensitive.

[Rescuepoor]

Thanks for sharing.  For years, I thought that everyone could feel their pulse pounding in their neck and knew their pulse rate without using their fingers.  Do you feel better when horizontal?  When upright too long, talking to me is like talking to someone with dementia.  After laying down, within 15 minutes I can carry on an intelligent conversation.  Had to quit my job as an emergency therapist because it became unbearable to be upright very long and I had the un-counselor-like urge to strangle people who needed to talk when I desperately needed to lay down.:-)

[BenG]

Hi, I don't have that exact symptom (i.e. better when lying down) but I have a whole host of others! In my case, I have a balance disorder which comes from the brainstem. I had a bad car accident which cause a neck injury. Three neurologists failed to diagnose the balance disorder, until I went to one two years ago (6 years post injury!).

There are some things that may be of help to you (but check first with your doctor whether they are ok for you) - massage of the neck (you can even do this yourself with some sesame oil) and yoga. Both of these increase blood flow to the head.
The problem I have is that they work for a short while only, but maybe you will have success.
My email address is ***@**** if you want to discuss offline. I have tried many treatments and have seen many doctors so perhaps we could share experiences.
I am so fed up of doctors saying it is all in my head. I even had one neurologist who denied that I had a brain injury when the other neurologist identified it using established testing methods!!

Good luck - Ben

[BenG]

I forgot to mention, chiropractic manipulation to the neck can also be helpful to ensure good blood flow. However, there is one VERY important caveat: find a very good and experienced chiropractor and ensure you tell them all of your history and symptoms. This is because some types of manipulation can  actually be dangerous if you have had an injury to the vertebral artery (they think I may have had such an injury). My chiro gives very gentle manipulation as and when needed.

Ben

[Rescuepoor]

Hi Ben,
Sorry about your car accident. It is amazing how one incident can so profoundly affect our lives (and in some cases, end them).  
What are your symptoms?  Do you just try to manage your symptoms day-to-day or is there anything that can be done?  Interesting that the ER doctor thought I was showing signs of a "closed" head injury.  The neurologist told me to never see a chiropractor due to the extent of my neck problems.  I do have bone spurs pressing on the spine and the neurologist warned me that a chiropractor could turn me into a quad with very little effort.  Glad it helps you--thanks for the info.  Are there any medications that help you?  I was on Celebrex 200 mg, twice a day (until I nearly bled out).  Can't take any NSAIDS now, though they did help.

[BenG]

Hi, good advice from your neurologist re: not going to a chiropractor.
My symptoms include dizziness and balance problems, weakness of the postural muscles of the neck and fatigue (amonst others!).
I try to manage these on a day-to-day basis with exercises, yoga and weekly massage to the neck.
This helps but is not a solution.
The doctor's advice about seeing an autonomic neurologist sounds good to me; I think I will do this myself, if I can find someone! Most of the neuros I have seen have been unhelpful to say the least. I live in London so I will try and find someone here.
Let me know how you get on

Good luck - Ben

[Swyn]

Hello everyone

This is all new to me, but I thought you would like to know about my experience.  Two years ago I was suffering from mild pins and needles in my hands and slight numbness.  A few weeks later I was having pins and needles in my feet.  I went to my GP who suggested it was psychosymatic even though He knew I did not attend the surgery very often for myself. After a few weeks my symptons got worse and my GP referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon but the waiting list was for about 9 - 12 months. After several visits to my GP he still did know what the problem was I began to think it really was all in my mind.  This all started in the August.  Just after christmas I took a walk to the local shops I got there alright but I found it very difficult to get back.  I felt like I had forgotten to walk and had to really concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. I then started to get a numbness in my legs but was fed up of being told nothing was wrong.  In February then, my partner insisted that I went to Bupa to see someone privately.  I didnt want to go, but thought I have to find out if it was all in my mind.  I went to see a neurologist on a Wednesday evening at 6.30pm I was with him for about a half hour examination when he told me I either had  fast progressive MS or a Tuma on my spinal cord.  Whereas I was taken straight to hospital for an emergency MRI where it was found that I had a spinal cord compression.  This took about three days which were very frightening for myself and all my family.  Finally they operated on me and inserted a small cage in my neck.  They did not know whether I would be able to walk again or even hold a pen, so extensive was my injury.  After a month in hospital I was allowed home to have 6 weeks bed rest then start physio.  I could not walk unattended and had to use a wheelchair to go out anywhere.  Eventually now after all this happened I am back on my feet.  I cannot do half the things I used to do but at least I can walk again.  I get tired very easily, the mornings are the worst, it takes me ages to come around.  I suffer with terrible dizziness and nausea and find I tend to lose my balance a lot.  I am not as aware as I used to be - I have to do a double take when crossing roads etc. I am also slower in my reactions.  My fingers are still numb and have pins and needles and so do my feet. I also get a lot of neck pain.  Hope my story is of some help to anybody.
BYE BYE.  sWYN

[Rescuepoor]

Swyn, Thanks for sharing your trying experience.  I wish you all the luck in the world.  It had to be so frustrating to get to that point.  Appreciate the warning and wisdom gleamed from your journey.  Wish you the best. rescuepoor

[RSW1]

I can certainly relate to a great deal of what you guys are saying. I was diagnosted with degenerative disk(neck)at the young age of 35. No doubt due to head "accidents" (I used to play rough).

Anyway, I have the same symptoms as ya'll. Neck pain, dizziness, the feeling as though my circulation is cut off to my
head<<(probably the most disturbing), eye/vision problems, etc. The most recent though is redness and pressure in my eyes. Just won't seem to go away.
Any of ya'll had this issue?. Also, although I went to an orthopedists<sp? when I was originally diagnosted, I haven't been to a doctor for it since. Who would you recommend seeing?
Othopedists or Neurologist?

Thx

[Rescuepoor]

Thanks for sharing.  Isn't it scary how our early physical activity comes back to haunt us?  I can't even watch football anymore because I know how much the players will pay for it later!
I have had vision problems sporadically, but not specifically the redness.  Have you checked your blood pressure when this happens?  Good luck finding out what is going on with this.  Would be interested in knowing what you find out.  Rescuepoor

[bev p]

HI,
I am 'supposed' to have familial periodic ataxia, I don't think I do.
For 19 years now I have been visiting specialist after specialist trying to get a diagnosis on whatever the condition/s are that I am suffering with,like you guys I've had mri's, mra's, ct's, countless blood tests hearing, speech tests and whatever else, ah look everything and can't it get you down?

When you've put up with someting for what feels like forever and no medical professional seems able to help, you keep trying to find answers for yourself, for me I came apon an article about cervical vertigo and this forum to which I related.
I am pretty sure I have cervical vertigo as my symptoms include;
true rotational vertigo, oscillopsy (where my eyes cannot focus on one point the vision kind of dances around this 'point') left beating nystagmus, which fatigues after time but the duration is never the same, a tight feeling over my head like wearing an ill fitting hat, tinnutus, nausea, vomiting, neck ache, and black snow floating past my eyes, I think thats about it.
My last bad attack came about shortly after I vomited and it lasted for 2 months, after 1 week my partner took me to the emergency department of a Perth hospital where after having had all kinds of on call specialists look at me they admitted me to be looked at by a 2nd neurologist the following day.
I was released that day they didn't think it was familial periodic ataxia (as diamox did not have any effect) and all my tests were normal and the Dix-Hallpike manouvre and alike made zero difference.  
All I got from that visit was a collapsed vein from the cannula and phlebitis, what joy...

This all started when I about 10 I am now 31.
I only recall 2 possible events where my neck could have been injured, diving into a pool and hitting my head on the bottom and whiplash some years later in a mva.
If anyone else has similar symptoms I would love to know what you do to cope. Good luck to you all.

[zipperhead]

Hi, this is my first posting, hoping for someone with similar symptoms to give me some hope here. My symptoms started with severe neck pain when I had an intense day at work (graphic artist in front of computer for hours at a time). Used cold packs and heating pad to relieve symptoms and was already taking arthritis (anti-inflammatory) for arthritis in knees. Then I started having arm and chest pains and numbness and after several trips to ER where they told me it was anxiety was finally referred to a doctor willing to have tests done. All my heart tests came back normal, brain MRI etc. all normal, but had abnormal cervical MRI (herniated disc). In the meantime (going on 8 months now) my pains have increased, had severe pain in calves of both legs, walking became very difficult (my husband says I waddle like a duck) and have lost a great deal of sensation in abdominal and saddle area of my body. Also have ulcer like pain at times in my stomach area and have urinary incontinence and bowel problems. Was referred to a neurologist and have now undergone the first of perhaps 3 cervical epidural steriod injections. The first one after a few days lessened the pain in the back of my legs and I can walk better but the shooting pains in my arms and chest area and the numbness in my arms and the loss of sensation in my abdominal and saddle area of my body continue. I am going to undergo the 2nd of the cervical epidural injection in a few days but am beginning to lose hope about my condition. It continues to deteriorate and can't get any specific answers other than that degenerative disc disease with arthritis diagnosed. Does this make any sense to anyone? Appreciate any feedback.

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