I have vertigo when I tilt my head back or to the left.

Hello! I am a female, 36 years old and in great physical condition. I exercise every 3 days and do not have any known medical condition.
One week ago, I woke up and when I turned to get out of bed, I started to spin as if on a ferris wheel. I closed my eyes because I was nearly going to pass out. This happened four times in a row within 10 minutes. I crawled to the bathroom where I was sick from the spinning. The entire day I felt naseous and didn't leave the house. Since then, I feel wobbley and when I tilt my head backwards or hard to the left I get the same vertigo and nearly black out until I look straight again. I also have tingling on the back side of my head. This is not bothering me but thought it may be related. Before last week I have had this spinning nearly 3 or 4 times but just a little and then once I stood up from bed it disappeared. The week before last I did a lot of exercise (i.e. running 4 miles, power yoga for the first time and weights for my arms) and more than usual. I have been to the doctor but since I am living in a foreign country and not too trusting of their diagnosis. My ears are clear, xrays show that something is putting pressure on my vessels to my brain. How can I get better? What exactly is wrong with me? I fear I have a brain tumor or something. Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you very much! Millie

[Duchess47]

I have had vertigo several times throughout my life.  The usual treatment is to tilt your head in the direction that causes the vertigo in the first palce, several times until it feels better.  This works for the immediate relief of dizziness, by balancing the fluid in your middle ear that usually casuses the vertigo.  In my case it just goes away eventually on it's own sometimes taking several months.   Good luck.

[heart2heart]

It could be BPPV...Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo. An ENT could diagnose this in his office by putting you in different positions and watching to see if your eyes have a certain type of nystagmus. The condition is caused by "ear rocks" tiny calcium stones in your inner ear that lose their normal position and have to be repositioned back through special exercises.

[grovie]

millez,

I know it has been a year and ahlf since your post but I was wondering if you ever had any resolution.  I have had the EXACT same symptoms and it seems to relate to exeercising.  I know its a shot in the dark that you would read this but I am really curious.

[danfo]

I too have been experiencing these symptoms for about 5 days now. Pretty concerned, since I'm in good physical health, young, and have no health insurance... an update would be really great.

[danfo]

After about 3 weeks of having vertigo when I look up, lay down, or anytime my head tilts back, it seems to be going away. I have not been to the doctor. I have been sleeping on my stomach or my side, and only tilting my head back occasionally to see if the vertigo was still there.