Dizzyness, back pain and anxiety - how are they related?

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I've been experiencing dizzyness on and off for over a month. It was really subtle at first so I wasn't sure - just felt nauseous and weak all the time. Went to the doctor and got prescribed benzodiazepines which help a lot. The dizzyness is very similar to a subtle boat - rocking sensation but doesn't seemed to be triggered by unusual movement as ornate is with mal de debarquement syndrome. It sort of just comes and goes through the weeks and I treat it with medication as need. However, in addition I've also been getting noticeable but not debilitating back pain that throbs either in my lower back or between my shoulders usually at the same time as the dizzyness. Some very light on-and-off chest pain (or light throbbing) as well. And with all this has been a constant anxiety, though I'm not sure if it's due to the unusually symptoms causing me to worry or if the anxiety is a symptom. Any clue as to what this could be would be appreciated. 

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6 Replies

  • Posted

    hi, they can be related as they were for me. Just been speaking to a couple of other people with similar symptoms and explaining my situation. I have had a similar experience and was diagnosed with an auto immune disorder 13 years ago. It's a complicated business to diagnose and really, so many auto immune diseases have the same overlapping symptoms. But I would ask for blood work that checks esr crp and ana as this would indicate if there was anything going on with your immune system. But even then the problem is that you can have immune system problems and blood work may not show much at all. As with me, my bloods are often quite normal. Maybe only slightly raised esr and I can be really ill. So it's not strong evidence and the problem is there are no reliable blood tests

    But even so it's a starting place because if those inflammatory markers are out of kilter it would help to determine if anything is underlying your symptoms. And also please get the full blood screen done. Check your vitamin b12 and thyroid and all the usual stuff if you haven't already done that. 

    • Posted

      Hi,

      Thanks for your reply. Can you expand on a few examples of autoimmune disorders that have these symptoms if your know them? My symptoms currently aren't very severe, what kind of worsening (if any) should I look out for?

    • Posted

      hi, sorry just saw this question. If you develop any kind of joint pain or stomach issues. And the chest pain....my thoughts are it could be inflammation in the cartilage....just a possibility but it comes and goes like that. 

      A lot of inflammatory based disorders have these symptoms.  

  • Posted

    oh and re anxiety, as I just said to someone else, the anxiety is also a symptom. For years when no one had any answers for me I was told I was anxious. But it makes sense if you're feeling unwell and 'off' a lot that you are anxious about it. It can also just be a general symptom of auto immune disorders. Look out for other symptoms like bowel problems, night sweats or palpitations. 

  • Posted

    The anxiety is probably from your symptoms and the chest pain / throbbing could likely be from the anxiety too. There are many causes of dizziness and you would really need a referral to get a proper diagnosis. My dizziness is more of a spin, my dizzy episodes come and go, like yours, but I get hearing loss, tinnitus and ear pressure and pain too. I recently got diagnosed with Meneires disease and I do have a theory that it started after a car accident and is related to my spine/nerves but I have yet to prove this! You really need to see ENT to hopefully get to the bottom of your symptoms. Good luck!! 

     

  • Posted

    It's a possibility that the pain in your muscles is caused by tension due to your body going into the fight/flight response due to anxiety over your dizziness. 

    Get anything serious ruled out by your doctor. Then if nothing nasty has been found, treat your back pain and vertigo as just Anxiety symptoms.

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