Very, Very Odd Sensations Deep Behind Eyes - Causing Chronic Balance Problems

[da0273]

My symptoms are very difficult to explain, so please bear with me. For the past 15 months I have been suffering from chronic pressure deep behind my eyes. It is a tight, pulling feeling that seems to be directly connected to my eye muscles. Sometimes it goes across my cheek bones, through my right jaw joint and down into the back of my neck on the right side. In addition, I often get an odd sensation (this is very tough to describe) which is kind of a combination of itching, tingling, and tickling in this same region (deep behind my eyes, etc) That sensation gets worse when I look up at the daytime sky while outdoors, but not when I look up at indoor lighting. The worst part of all of this is the way it affects my balance. It makes me feel "off balance" nearly all the time. Often I feel as though I am going to fall to one side...or the room is about to start spinning...although the spinning really doesn't happen. I mostly just feel like a bobble-head doll. I've had some of these symptoms sporadically and mildly for the past 8 years or so. However, in May 2005 all the symptoms suddenly worsened and a few new ones developed. I should mention that I am a 33 year old female. Lifetime non-drinker, non-smoker. Health food and exercise huge part of my life. I'm uninsured and not wealthy, so my options are very limited. I'm really looking for someone who has experienced these symptoms or perhaps knows someone who has. I've seen GP's and Neuro, but no one thinks it's anything serious. Basic blood work up good as well. Some spinal problems, though. Chiro thinks that's to blame.

[momma8]

I have had a tickling sensation behind my eyes, sometimes accompanied by a weird visual phenomenon, like I can't quite trust my vision. I also feel pressure, as though my eyes are being thrust forward from behind. I am 43, a health food person, too, and excercise, but am overweight. I've had migraines, and thought this could be related. It drives my crazy! And it seems a strange thing to explain to others. My doctors also seem unconcerned, bloodwork normal, etc.

[modestbrent]

Your symptoms sound very similar to mine.  I TMJ disorder.  This is a problem with the jaw being misplaced, usually I think too far back.  It can come from tooth grinding, massive blow to the face, etc.  I know that my symptoms include very sparatic dizziness that only lasts for about a split second.  My shoulders and neck always feel very tight, like I just finished working out my back.  It is very hard to hold my head upright when sitting, I really only get relief from slouching and having bad posture...kind of weird.  When I sit still I can feel a pulsing sensation that is directly behind the eyes, right below where the skull meets the spine.  Taking ibuprofen helps the systems slightly so I recommend taking some to see if your problems get better to see if you maybe have it.    
     Alright enough of my blabbing, oh course there is a way to fix this problem and I am on that route.  You can go see an orthodontist to fix your bite with braces and eventually rubber bands and then possibly have to go get a bite splint that is designed to move the lower jaw forward.  I have heard that you can also get the splint first and then see an orthodondist but you may possibly have to get another splint on again to move it back.  You will have to consult your dentist about that.
     The problem with TMJ is that the symptoms are very hard to explain as you can tell in my first paragraph. My symptoms range from neck pain, dizziness or even a vertigo feeling, headaches, pulsing head/neck, achyness almost all over, but it is best to look up the great number of side effects for TMJ to see if you have it.  
     And last thing, there is a little exercise that will almost make some relief, sit straight up in a chair and try to move your tongue as far back as it will go while holding your mouth shut.  Try to move it towards your uvula.  When I do this I can feel my muscles stretch all the way from the back of my head down to my upper back.  It's kind of weird.
     Anyways, I hope this may have helped you some.
Brent

[Bella Donna]

I did some reading and had a thought, maybe nasal polyps?

I remembered that sometimes they can get pretty serious and grow into tissues behind the eyes, probably disrupting nerves in the face, and occasionally the optic nerve. Removal of polyps is often not recommended unless it's really serious. Also, swelling of the pituitary could cause pressure, and I found out there's all kinds of drainage tubing that dump into the sinus cavities, like the ear tubes drain into the throat. (Hence the constant siuns drainage and tickling sensation.)

[clearday]

I have been through extensive testing and was eventually diagnosed with vertigo.  I've always thought it was something more.  I've had CAT scans, MRI's, bloodwork and all sorts of eye and ear tests.  I still think the doctors are missing something.  I am now experiencing severe pressure behind my eyes.  If I use my eyes to look in a different direction verse actually turning my head the pressure gets much worse.  Lately I am having trouble sleeping and when I stand up in the morning I get serious pain in the top of my head.  I've always suffered from migraines but the recent developments seem unrelated.  Now I'm being told to be checked for Lyme disease.  

I, too, am not a drinker or smoker.  I try to eat right and exercise.  I am 37.  I can't bare the thought of going to my
GP to be told to go to an Optomologist who will not find anything either.  I've always gone for yearly physicals and annual eye exams.  It is very frustrating to know something is wrong and no one can quite pin point it.  

For the girl who doesn't have insurance... I don't know what state you live in, but you really need to look into some kind of aid (Medicaid, etc.) or make insurance your priority as far as paying bills.  My job has a major focus on benefits and I've seen too many times healthy people getting seriously ill unexpectedly. Either the bills will pile up quickly or you will not seek treatment because of $ and you can really get much worse.    Your health is the most important thing.

[Bella Donna]

I've been having something like that since last Fall with my left eye. It's been difficult to explain to doctors what the problem is, and I had an eye doctor check it out and they said my eyeball is fine. Yet, the fuzzy feeling continues, my vision feels strained, and it feels like I have some weird pressure around it. It's difficult to read as well. And, I have some drainage coming out of my sinuses on that side. The doctors just keep dismissing it as "probably nothing" and probably not related to anything else, and my vision keeps deteriorating in that eye.

I think it's what's causing me to veer into things, that feeling of discombobulation and lack of balance, like my legs think it's an inner ear problem, but it isn't.

I'm pretty aggravated about it and have no idea what to suggest to my doctors, since they apparently have no suggestions for me.

I have a guess that it's a mild infection, or a swelling that's pressing on the optic nerve on that side, or possibly a side effect or complication of something else. But what do I know?

Let me know if anyone finds out, it's driving me crazy.

[Pum]

There is a common thing called Benign Positional Vertigo or something like that. It is very common and is brought on by looking up or turning your head while lying down.  I have had a few episodes and I feel like I'm on a boat the whole time and also have some spinning episodes when lying on one side (right for me).  There are some simple excersises that fix it up and I've not had it for a few years.  it can be related to allergies and viruses too I think.

[NYC_LI2]

I had the same symptoms!!
Actually - I still do, but not as intense. I went to my GP, an Allergist, and a Neurologist. They all think its an inner ear problem, but I had this strange itchy feeling in my sinuses. I had a CT scan of my sinuses, and they came back normal, but my allergist said since he didn't take a look at them... you can't send a GP in to do an allergists job. Meaning... there could have been something on it, and my GP might have over looked it.

The itchy feeling went away, but now my balance is off, as if I'm heavier on my left side. I have been a health nut all my life, and I am 30 years old, so it couldn't be anything to do with that.

You mentioned you don't have medical insurance, but you might want to have some tests done, and finance the payments - your health is very important. I went in for an ENG, inner ear testing, and it came back positive for vestibular dysfunction. Meaning I must have caught a virus that infected my inner ear. The only way to feel better is to go to Physical Therapy that specializes in Vestibuler Therapy.

Try to go for the ENG testing, or go to an ENT specialist. Your Eustachian Tube could be clogged also.