Brain fog, dizziness, vision problems, head pressure, headache PLEASE HELP

Hey Lizzy,

Thanks for recounting your story; I hadn't thought to get my neck scanned. I did have pretty bad neck pain on the first day of this (and minor neck pain throughout the rest of it), so it could potentially play a role. My posture has been awful my whole life (though I'm only in my late 20's), so that's definitely a possibility. I'll bring it up with a doctor at some point.

Hi Apocryphus, it's worth looking into, as even if it is just muscle spasms it can cause some dizziness. I may have forgot to mention that all my symptoms (except dizziness) have been on the left side. Even classic migraines since my 20s were always on the left. And all of this facet disease issue is on the left. Bingo! I was in a car accident at age 17 where I had a side whiplash and the side of my head hit the passenger window. I'm pretty sure that has contributed, especially since I never had migraines until after that...

Physical therapy can help if you have simple muscle tension... It is known that spasms in certain neck muscles can cause dizziness. Also, poor posture can lead to a very bad neck later in life, I'm learning. Phys therapist can help you improve your posture. I'm guilty of "text neck" with my phone for sure!

That’s exactly my same symptoms! It’s not legitimate vertigo all the time it’s just constant off balance not feeling grounded or able to stand or walk properly 

I’m so happy you’re finding more answers!!! It gives me and everyone so much hope 

I’m so happy you’re finding more answers!!! It gives me and everyone so much hope 

Elise, I hope you can find some answers and relief soon. If you are having any chronic pain or stiffness in your neck, jaw or shoulders, it might be worth a shot to get a referral to an excellent phys therapist. I saw one 3yrs ago for what the Neuro thought was tmj on left (now it looks like was neck all along). Anyway, she worked on my jaw and neck, and it tremendously helped my dizziness/tinnitus. I was amazed! Unfortunately she moved away. I tried another therapist in the same group, but she wasn't able to help me. It pays to find recommendations from Drs, friends, etc.

Thank you so much! And yes i do. I have severe pain and stiffness and numbness in my neck and shoulders and back and jaw (my jaw has always been severely messed up, it doesn’t close or open properly when I open and shut my mouth, it unlocks at the joint and clicks when I open my mouth). I’ve been thinking about a physical therapist! I’ve heard they can be helpful. I’m so sorry yours moved away that helped you so much I’m so happy for you that you’ve hopefully found some answers 

You might want to consider seeing a functional neurologist. I’m seeing one on Thursday. That discipline combines not just chiropractic and biomedical science but psychology , genetics , cellular biochemistry and neurophysiology. Your symptoms may be from your TMJ that are throwing everything off. The dizziness that comes with it can fuels the anxiety that starts a vicious cycle many describe on this board. Daily stress can attack those weak points as well. I spoke to a dentist friend the other day and he said you wouldn’t believe some of the symptoms he’s seen from TMJ. A FN may be able to identify pretty quick. If not, they’ll move onto the biochemistry panels ( blood, saliva and stool) to try to get to any underlying causes. 

Elise, yes please find a phys therapist as soon as you can (I saw you are pregnant- heartfelt congratulations!)

Posture, genetics, teeth grinding, etc can cause myofascial trigger points to set up in neck, jaw, etc. And there could be other structural issues like mine, especially if u were ever involved in a car accident or fall. Even if it happened a long time ago. I wish you best of health!!

Michael I agree. I was the biggest skeptic abt phys therapy helping me. The jaw (or neck!) triggering so much beyond the jaw itself was suspect to me. But my response to therapy was quick and marked. Worth pursuing in those that may have pain, stiffness, and/or numbness or tingling.

Elise, I forgot to mention... I've had neck symptoms for 15+ years. Early on, I was told it was fibromyalgia. Then later, with the attacks, I was told it was part of the migraine disease. When my Neuro read c-spine mri to me a week ago, she was shaking her head in surprise. Said it could account for most of those crazy symptoms.

What’s TMJ?

It’s the joint primarily responsible for opening and closing the mouth/jaw. Short for temporomandibular joint. If it doesn’t function correctly, it can create trigger points in the neck and skull that can generate symptoms described here. The neck muscles responsible for holding the head in place can get to a point where they fail to stabilize the atlas/occipital joint near the base of the skull. That area is grand central station for a lot of nerve pathways. 

Thank you so much for the advice! A functional neurologist is definitely someone I am scheduling (I know it takes a while to get in to see them). 

I’m so thankful you and Lizzie have discussed physical therapy and issues with tmj. I’ve always been very skeptical about phsycisl therapy and pinning this on tmj as I’ve slways wondered if they just use you to gain a profit then it doesn’t help. But after hearing your stories I’m much more convinced I need to try it!!! 

Thank you so much I’m so nervous about having a baby with this condition. But I truly believe everything happens for a reason!!! Like I mentioned to micHael I’m very skeptical of physical therapists but after hearing your story I’m going to do it. Thank you for the help! 

I have severe jaw issues like I said before. Ever since I had braces like 10 years ago, my jaw was shifted completely in the wrong way and they messaged up all my joints in my jAw mouth and behind my ears. My mouth doesn’t open straight, it like clicks sideways and I can’t open or shut properly. I was also in a very traumatic horse accident when I was 8 years old, and have had problems with my lower back and degenerating discs and bulging discs ever since. I have no idea if any of these are related but something is definitely messed up somewhere 

I was also told my symptoms are all fibromyalgia! I’ve had soooo many different diagnoses though. Did one doctor say you had vestibular migraines? Or what migraine disease? 

Elise, yes i have diagnosis from 2 neuros, including my current Dr, of vestibular or basilar migraine. The neck issues could be triggering these actual migraine events OR symptoms could be coming from neck itself (and it was never migraine).

Hi Dizzy,

What treatment t did you get?

I just diagnosed with balance disorders and I am suffering too.

Did you heal?

Please let me .

Good luck 💐

Hi Dizzy,

What treatment are you having now.

Did your neurologist prescribed you any medication?

Are you healed now?

Please let me know.

I have been dignosed with balance disorders too which be vestibular problem but I am still waiting to see my consultant in september for the treatment.

Best of luck.

Sab 💐

Sab,

I was dx with migraine. I take propranolol and it has helped over the years. But things got gradually worse pain-wise, in upper back, neck, shoulders, arms. And imbalance/ dizziness, tinnitus, wavy vision started.

Have you had VNG? Supposedly this tests the inner ear. I had one 2yrs ago and it was normal. Then again last spring during worst dizziness. Again, it was normal. I was told it was NOT inner ear. So I'm back to brain or neck.

Because of neck pain I had neck mri. It came out that I had multilevel disease, degeneration. Im seeing a spine Dr. He wants to do an injection, but says it will only help the pain/tingling, not other Neuro symptoms. I am still thinking abt it. I'm disappointed he says it probably won't help the imbalance/ tinnitus. My Neuro thought maybe it would. So I am currently in a holding pattern, trying to decide if I want this epidural injection very near to my cervical spine, which has risk of paralysis. I'm holding off for now...