Dizziness

No I don’t spin I just feel as though I’ve got off a roundabout or I’m on a swaying boat.. They haven’t diagnosed anything my doctors are hopeless to be honest been like this for 3 years and still no answers 

Yes I had all my hormones check everything came back fine... I suffer with headaches all the time I’m exhausted non stop my eyes hurt I just feel so run down..

No I haven’t been diagnosed with anything it’s on going I feel like I’m havibg a breakdown because of it all 😩

I have read your email and convinced that you can give me an appropriate advice. I am suffering balance disorder from September 2017. I visited an ENT Doctor as I was feeling ringing ears and some loss of hearing. The Doctor said that I have a case of crystals displacement and diagnosed tinnitus. He suggested serc tablet 24 mg with tablet ALP .5 mg. This medicine worked and I felt better. But I am not fully recovered. Doctor says that I should keep this medicine taking and reduce the doze when feeling better. Once I left medicine but I could not sleep the whole night and also felt little more balance problems in the next morning. I started taking medicine again. I am 63 and feel that I have been addicted to the said drugs due to its prolonged use. Please suggest what should I do. I want to get rid this medicine. Thanks and regards.

I would have my doctor order vestibular physical therapy.  They can do all the maneuvers to get the crystals back into place.  My physical therapist said taking meds to help stop the dizziness doesn’t help the brain to retrain itself to function again.  I am so afraid of getting hooked on pills I wouldn’t take them unless absolutely necessary. 

Very useful. Thanks a lot. Your contribution should be remembered. Thanks once again.

Arshadou, I think that u are not in US as they don't give Serc (betahistine) here. But I will try to advise. Janet's recommendation of vestibular therapy is good, as it can greatly help residual dizziness issues that resulted from many causes. But I think it's also important to have a good diagnosis. You say you were diagnosed with crystals, which means to me BPPV. This condition should not cause tinnitus or reduced hearing to my understanding. Of course it is possible that you had tinnitus and reduced hearing before your dizziness, and it is coincidental. I think the important question regarding reduced hearing and tinnitus, is does it fluctuate? Does it get louder or hearing more lessened when you have dizzy attacks? Or, did the hearing symptoms come on when the dizziness started? Displaced crystals are usually treated with positioning maneuvers by the ENT, and I don't believe meds are given long-term for this. Having the manuveuvers done usually fixes the problem. I am wondering if you have/had something like menieres or labrynthitis instead? Did the ENT give you a VNG/Caloric test when you presented with the dizziness? Look these tests up. They can help to diagnose an inner ear problem and suggest a cause. Serc is typically prescribed in the UK for Menieres disease.

Yes im having ringing in my ears and buzzing also a lot of clear fluid dripping from my nose.. Yes I get a pressure in my head that’s almost like a heart beat it’s so awful everyday is like a constant battle 😩

Also forgot to ask- have you tried a course if steroids (like prednisone)?

Many thanks for giving valuable comments and sparing your valuable time. After going through your assessment, I feel that in my first submissions, I have left some important points of my problem which are necessary to be explained now.

I feel myself normal while in sitting or sleeping positions. Problem arises only when I walk. While walking I feel a burden in my head and at times I feel as if my head is moving left or right. I feel a little dizzines while moving my head from downward to upward. I had also consulted a neurosurgeon who after taking my neck x-rays had pointed out that my c6 and c7 have some degeneration. He diagnosed cervical spondilosis. But my ENT Doctor does not agree to it. I had also consulted an arthopedic surgeon who agrees with ENT. My hearing or tinnitus does not fluctuate nor does it goes louder. It remains the same all the time. Furthermore, I do not have any dizziness attack or I do not know what is dizziness attack. I shall be highly grateful if helps me to diagnose my illness. Regards.

Arshadou, the fact that it only happens when ambulating leads me to think it could be something called Chronic Subjective Dizziness. See the excerpt I've copied below. It is usually triggered by something, like vestibular migraine. The treatment is SSRI medication, vestibular therapy, and/or cognitive based therapy.

Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria

Patients with CSD describe persistent non-vertiginous dizziness that may be associated with one or more of the following descriptors:

Light-headedness

Heavy-headedness

Unsteadiness while ambulating which is not apparent to others

Spinning sensation in the head with no motion of the visual field

Rocking sensation that is not apparent to others

Feeling that the floor is moving beneath their feet

Disconnection from the environment

Chronic hypersensitivity to self-motion

Locations where symptoms might be particularly bothersome would include grocery stores and shopping malls. The symptoms may wax and wane in severity during the day. Symptoms tend to be less severe in the morning. Symptoms are most severe when the patient is standing and walking, and less severe when sitting or laying down. There can be some positional symptoms as well, but CSD is not benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). However, BPPV can lead to CSD. Again, this information comes from the publications by Staab and colleagues.

Behavioral factors can predispose patients to develop CSD. In particular, and according to Staab (2012), it is anxiety and introversion that predispose patients to develop CSD after a triggering event such as a vestibular neuritis. Anxiety over the symptoms produces a hyper-vigilant state. Both anxiety and depression add to the morbidity.

CSD occurs in patients without a history of neuro-otologic illness and patients with history of neuro-otologic illness (such as BPPV and/or vestibular neuritis), and in patients with neurological disorders, such as migraine and post-concussion syndrome.

The most common triggers for CSD include:

Peripheral and central vestibular system disorders, e.g., vestibular neuritis, BPPV (25%)

Panic attacks (especially for young patients), (15-20%)

Migrainous vertigo (15-20%)

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (15%)

Mild traumatic brain injury (10-15%)

Dysautonomias (7%)

Dysrhythmias (1-2%)

Topping the list are peripheral and central vestibular system impairments, panic attacks and migrainous vertigo.

I am really impressed by the cooperation you extended. Thanks. The last question I have in my mind that which specialist doctor should I see, ENT or Neurosurgeon. Regards.

So if its ENT related they would ref you for vestibular testing if you know 100% I have seen an audiologist also where my ears looked completely normal I also had physio on my neck I see a neuro psychiatrist where he had diagnosed me with gluten ataxia .. have you had an mri yet .. ?? If it's easier email me directly abd I'll give u my number too much to text

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Arshadou, it is hard to say if an ENT, neurologist (don't think u need a neurosurgeon) or a primary care Dr is best. It really depends on if the Dr is aware of CSD and how to treat it. I have been to some horrible ENTs, and then a great one. Same with neurology. Most specialists will tend to diagnose within their specialty. But regardless of if you had an actual beginning event like BPPV or migraine, this CSD sounds likely because of the time it's gone on, and your specific symptoms. If you have a primary dr, you might want to start there, and perhaps bring in the articles on CSD, which are easily found online. As far as a general recommendation for the best type of Dr to see for undiagnosed dizzy/balance disorders, a Neuro-otologist or balance disorder expert seems to be the most knowledgeable on all the potential dizziness disorders.

Thanks with due respect. I have planned to a neurologist today. I will submit the progress in 03 days. One day for consultation and 02 days to see the affects of medicine as may be prescribed by the neurologist. Regards.

No I haven’t tried steroids I’ll soeak with my doctor about that thank you!