Sudden dizziness

[DizzyChristine]

Hi all

Just thought I'd add my story to the pot. I'm 46 and have been under a lot of work stress etc since about 2007. Was starting to get neck pain from being sat at my laptop all day - probably bad posture etc and being too sedentary even though I go to the gym regularly 3 times a week doing cardio and yoga etc and have always eaten a really good diet, and don't drink or smoke. I also noticed for the last few years a type of hunch developing at the top of my back just below the neck, so was worried I was getting a hunchback from so many years in front of a computer.My neck would also feel uncomfortable when driving and as if there was no position I could get into where I could relax it.  I would also notice I would feel a bit disorientated when turning my head/eyes to the side sometimes in the mornnings, that would get better in the day. I went to the doc who sent me for a neck x-ray. This came back as I had mild to moderate arthritic changes in the neck - which apparently most people have got and is not especially anything to worry about and it was suggested I have physiotherapy. I have just managed to get a physio appointment for next week.

In the meantime last May I lost most of my work, and have been even more stressed in a way now worrying about money issues even though I don't have the work to give me the physical stress. I returned to my doctor to ask about the hunch developing at the top of my back, and he felt it and said it felt extremely tight - and he suspected extreme muscle tension - and said he would chase up the physio as I need to have the muscle massaged etc - and he also referred me for an MRI scan on the neck.

On top of this I have a 'clicky jaw' - always have had - that seems to go in and out of the joint as I open and close my mouth - so don't know if this is connected.

Anyway - feeling relieved that the doctor said he thought it was just muscle tension and that yoga is good for stretching and relaxing muscles, the next day I went to a yoga class with a teacher I've been going to for years, and went into one of the positions called the fish where you are on your back and lift up the shoulder blades put your hands under your bottom and look along the floor behind you with the weight on the crown of your head. Anyway, I came out of the pose and suddenly was so dizzy I couldn't get up with what felt like everything moving crazily around and my eyes trying to focus etc - so stayed lying down which was the only position I felt OK - they called an ambulance and I went to hospital - but they only x-rayed the neck which was normal. I said I was waiting for an MRI scan from the doc re my neck pain, so all they could do was send me home. I had been able to slowly get upright and was OK - walking around etc. I went home and couldn't lie down or move about too much without setting it off. I had to make myself eat as I felt really nauseous aswell. I had an MRI scan and this showed a normal scan.

3 weeks later, I have been sleeping propped up on 2/3 pillows, every day it gets a bit better so now there's still some dizziness when I lie down, turn over in bed, get up first thing in the morning, or if I put my head up and back.

Apart from the usual wisdom from the doctor about it being stress - without understanding the dizziness was causing me the stress and not the other way around!!! - seems to be a common theme here -does anyone have any ideas - I was thinking it may be ear rocks - where the crystals in the ear get into the wrong part of the ear etc.  but not really sure?

Thanks

[DizzyChristine]

Hi

thanks very much for this - I thought it could be BPPV, and I'm going to doctors again tomorrow for a referral to a specialist as I'd like a diagnosis, so I know what to do about it. Interestingly, for several years I have had neck pain etc from sitting at a computer. and was seeing the doctor about the neck pain before I had the dizzy attack and he felt my neck and said I had extremely tight muscles and has referred me for physio for this. I have read on some websites that extreme muscle tension in the neck can cause the dizziness/BPPV? Maybe it's the extreme muscle tension held over years/decades which is causing the BPPV in those cases where they cannot diagnose the cause of the BPPV??

When you mention the labyrinth system, I've had no recent head injuries (I had a blow to the head 32 years ago, so don't think this could be related), I've not had surgery recently nor am I on any medication  - except for ferrous sulfate tablets which I was taking for 3 months leading up to the dizzy attack, as I was diagnosed as being anaemic by the doctor. I was prescribed 400mg per day, and was wondering whether this could have anything to do with it? I stopped taking the tablets after the attack, fearing some connection, and also because the doc suggested I take them for 3 months and then get iron levels re-tested, which I am due to do still.

I am already elevating my head slightly as find that when I try to lay flat this sets the dizziness off. I generally drink plenty of fluids by trying to drink a litre or 2 of water each day.

Thanks very much for your help, I'll let you know how it goes

regards

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.
Your symptoms could be due to Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), is an entity in which with movement of the head the person is likely to get dizziness. This happens because of a disorder of the labyrinth system in the inner ear. It can get affected due to head injuries, surgeries, nerve inflammations and as a side effect to medications. In a majority of cases the cause is not known. It is diagnosed by a physical examination and sometimes blood tests, a CT and MRI and audiology tests can further help with diagnosis.  Therapy is with diazepam and OTC meclizine. Other measures which help are elevating the head end of the bed, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding sudden movements of the head and taking precautions with driving during an attack. Please consult your primary care physician who will do an initial clinical assessment and then may refer you to a neurologist.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.