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Severe Dizzyness
Hi,
I've been suffering with dizzyness for the past three years. I've consulted 3 different ENT specialists, who all have different theories, from Labyrinthitis to other balance illnesses. This week the dizzyness got worse - much worse. it feels like I'm on a boat and a carroussel at the same time, I have double vision for just 1-2 seconds if I close and open my eyes and have difficulty to walk, because of the dizzyness - my legs just don't seem to be able to have the correct balance... I have to add that sometimes I get other vision symptoms, like as if there is a firework explosion on my field of vision, it lasts for a few seconds and I also see flimmers once in a while (bright light or black flashing) - it lasts for a few minutes. On top of that, I have had whiplash twice because of car accidents and can't think of anything else that could be causing this. I've also felt tingling on the left side of my face and numbness - it's gone now, tingling on the legs, numbness on left side of my body.
I was sent to a hospital by my GP and yesterday had a CT scan done. The scan showed brain calcification on the left side of the brain (left brain?). Blood work showed high cholesterol. The doctors sent me home, but in two weeks I'll have to have a MRI done to see the calcification in more detail. I am 40 years old and am very tired of these symptoms, which are difficult to cope with - specially having a demanding career. Do you have any clue of what it might be?
Thank you for your help!
I've been suffering with dizzyness for the past three years. I've consulted 3 different ENT specialists, who all have different theories, from Labyrinthitis to other balance illnesses. This week the dizzyness got worse - much worse. it feels like I'm on a boat and a carroussel at the same time, I have double vision for just 1-2 seconds if I close and open my eyes and have difficulty to walk, because of the dizzyness - my legs just don't seem to be able to have the correct balance... I have to add that sometimes I get other vision symptoms, like as if there is a firework explosion on my field of vision, it lasts for a few seconds and I also see flimmers once in a while (bright light or black flashing) - it lasts for a few minutes. On top of that, I have had whiplash twice because of car accidents and can't think of anything else that could be causing this. I've also felt tingling on the left side of my face and numbness - it's gone now, tingling on the legs, numbness on left side of my body.
I was sent to a hospital by my GP and yesterday had a CT scan done. The scan showed brain calcification on the left side of the brain (left brain?). Blood work showed high cholesterol. The doctors sent me home, but in two weeks I'll have to have a MRI done to see the calcification in more detail. I am 40 years old and am very tired of these symptoms, which are difficult to cope with - specially having a demanding career. Do you have any clue of what it might be?
Thank you for your help!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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 your doctor.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history and review your imaging, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
Brain calcifications are seen in a large number of patients and are of little consequence or have little implications in the majority of patients. MRI of the brain will help clarify the nature of the lesions, to ensure they are just these benign calcium deposits. Other substances that appear bright on CT scan are calcium within tumors and blood; MRI will help exclude these. It is rather unlikely the calcifications are related to the dizziness, though I can again not comment for sure without viewing your scan.
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. Labrynthitis is another disorder that leads to vertigo. And so on, several other causes from inner ear problems exist. Sometimes, if ENG and other vestibular testing suggests an inner ear problem, but the exact nature of it is not correctable, the best option is vestibular rehab, which helps your body adjust to the inner ear problem.
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. Thyroid problems can also lead to vertigo.
If your vertigo is intermittent, associated with flashes of light and sometimes headaches, one possibility is a type of migraine called basilar migraine. Basically this is marked by several hours of vertigo associated with nausea, light-sensitivity, and sometimes other symptoms. Headache may or may not be present. The treatment is different from that used to treat other migraine types; the treatment in this case is a type of medication called calcium channel blocker, such as verapamil, which is actually used to treat blood pressure but works in type of basilar migraine as well.
Continued followup with your ENT doctors and neurologist is recommended.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history and review your imaging, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
Brain calcifications are seen in a large number of patients and are of little consequence or have little implications in the majority of patients. MRI of the brain will help clarify the nature of the lesions, to ensure they are just these benign calcium deposits. Other substances that appear bright on CT scan are calcium within tumors and blood; MRI will help exclude these. It is rather unlikely the calcifications are related to the dizziness, though I can again not comment for sure without viewing your scan.
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. Labrynthitis is another disorder that leads to vertigo. And so on, several other causes from inner ear problems exist. Sometimes, if ENG and other vestibular testing suggests an inner ear problem, but the exact nature of it is not correctable, the best option is vestibular rehab, which helps your body adjust to the inner ear problem.
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. Thyroid problems can also lead to vertigo.
If your vertigo is intermittent, associated with flashes of light and sometimes headaches, one possibility is a type of migraine called basilar migraine. Basically this is marked by several hours of vertigo associated with nausea, light-sensitivity, and sometimes other symptoms. Headache may or may not be present. The treatment is different from that used to treat other migraine types; the treatment in this case is a type of medication called calcium channel blocker, such as verapamil, which is actually used to treat blood pressure but works in type of basilar migraine as well.
Continued followup with your ENT doctors and neurologist is recommended.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
Hi Caringbearing,
I had a CT sac done, but I don't really know if they scanned my brain stem and lower brain, but I think they did, because their main concern was the severe vertigo, so I guess they were looking into the areas of the brain that could show any signs of vertigo related damages...
I had a CT sac done, but I don't really know if they scanned my brain stem and lower brain, but I think they did, because their main concern was the severe vertigo, so I guess they were looking into the areas of the brain that could show any signs of vertigo related damages...
Did they scan your brain stem and lower brain? Very important to proper vertigo diagnosis...
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