dizziness causing anxiety. allergies?

[sirjoseph]

here are my symptoms. crackling when i swallow (etd?) head pressure when i lean forward,  a constant feeling of being off balance, like im on a boat or in an elevator. sometimes when i walk it feels like the floor is dipping as i walk, its spooky. when i look up, that triggers a split second of vertigo, sometimes i have to catch myself. ill get mild vertigo or dizziness sometimes, sometimes accompanied by an inflated head feeling and slightly distorted vision or a strange depth perception, but nothing bad like a migraine would cause, its more like a disconnected feeling. when i wake up my sinuses feel blocked off and sometimes it happens at night. this has been going on since january. one night i just started to feel like i was on a slow merry go round and its been off and on ever since. its maddening. it has affected every part of my life. im afraid to drive, to be away from the safety of my room, i constantly feel anxious and tensed up. i wonder when the next attack will be and how severe it will get. ive been getting panic attacks too. the theories ive heard so far are sinus problems that in turn cause  inner ear problems, a regular old ear infection, or allergies. i dont know i have so many different symptoms i dont know if they are related. i even have this creepy hypochondriac feeling that something serious is causing it. i honestly doubt that but the dizziness has wrecked me. i dont think depression and anxiety are behind it though cause ive had that problem for a while and that just makes me lethargic and irritable. any ideas? home remedies? theories? help!!! i am literally going insane.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

i agree with you that your ear crackling is from eustachian tube dysfunction

i don't think an optometrist can help

an ENT or neuro-otologist could help

[lognum]

Greetings,

Remember, not any optmetrist can evaluate you. Mine told me I was perfectly fine, till I went to the specialist. My optometrist was WRONG, and he did not consult the specialist at all. Ask your optometrist if he/she is willing to talk to them, as they are receptive to do the same. Drop me a private message by clicking on my name and I will advise more, if you like.

[Nancy T]

Good luck to you. Be sure to get the anxiety and depression treated, even if they can't find the cause of your other symptoms. That in itself will probably make your dizziness less, since it's a vicious circle with those.

If your ability to see doctors is limited, don't bother seeing regular doctors--see an ENT specialist.

I don't think sinus problems CAUSE dizziness but who knows if they can exacerbate it? I don't know.

Migraine headaches don't have to be bad, by the way. Most self-diagnosed "sinus" headaches are in fact migraines. Stress headaches tend to be at the back of your head (so I've heard, anyway). Just some random thoughts.

I doubt that an optometrist will be able to tell you the cause of your dizziness, it's probably not your eyes.

Good luck!!

Nancy T.

[sirjoseph]

thanks for the replies. knowing others have identical symptoms is relieving. im gonna find out if visual problems are the culprit when i see an optometrist in a couple weeks.(oscillopsia and vertical heterophoria disorder). im hesitant to see a doctor after my last visit. he ignored my sinus symptoms and eustachian tube problem and gave me antibiotic eardrops, which did nothing to help. next time i see a doctor im gonna end up annoying the hell out of him because there are specific things i want done and dont want done and im gonna have a lot of questions. i am uninsured so i cant afford to see a doctor just whenever. no i dont get migraines, i never get bad headaches or anything that would resemble a migraine, just stress headaches and things like that. the crackling sound when i swallow is definitely eustachian tube related, and the inflated head feeling is definitely sinuses, its not painful, just uncomfortable and unsettling. i wonder how sinus problems would affect my balance though and cause the dizziness. the fact that i have anxiety and depression problems isnt helping either.

[Nancy T]

"nothing bad like a migraine would cause,"

You get migraines? Most people and many doctors don't know this, but dizziness is quite common among migraineurs, and migraine is a common cause of dizziness (besides inner ear causes).

Check out www.dizziness-and-balance.com and read about migraine-associated vertigo. (The whole link is http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/central/migraine/mav.html.) This is the site of a very highly respected neurologist specializing in dizziness.

Anxiety and dizziness are definitely related, as they are both connected to the autonomic nervous system and the "fight-or-flight" response. Anxiety can cause dizziness AND vice versa--it's very common.

But there are lots of things that can cause dizziness. If you haven't yet been seen by a NEURO-OTOLOGIST (an ENT with extra training in the inner ear) and/or an OTO-NEUROLOGIST (a neurologist specializing in dizziness "from the brain side"), you definitely should. You can find a list of neuro-otologists (also spelled neurotologist) at the American Neurotology Society Web site. And there's a list of otoneurologists at this site: http://www.robbmd.com/links.php?sectionid=2804

Dizziness is usually NOT caused by anything serious. Most doctors will do an MRI to rule out any serious causes, but rarely is a cause found on MRI. The chance that it's something life-threatening is truly remote (although it's totally understandable to be worried when you have distressing and life-affecting symptoms whose cause has not yet been found).

There is help--don't despair. Medications and specialized physical therapy (vestibular therapy) can be HUGE helps to dizzy patients. Please find a real specialist in this area and feel better soon.

Best of luck,

Nancy T.

[lognum]

Greetings,

Had all the same symptoms, including the anxiety associated with them. After exhaustive research and MRI, CTscan, ENG numerous blood tests and doctors, the only thing that helped was an optometrist. Not just any one though. There are only three in the USA that specialize in this field and I travelled from Canada to see one and finally received the help I needed. Type "vertical heterophoria syndrome" in the google search. The site from Birmingham MI are the ones that helped me. Read the symptoms and the testimonials and see if that describes you. Then, if it does, contact them and go from there. No surgery, no meds. Good Luck  

[Wobbly]

well, all I can say is your not alone and neither am I.  Have you gone to a ENT specialist that tested you for Vertigo, Mennieres..etc.   I have had these types of spells for quite awhile, 8 years ago for 6 months..they stopped and started up again over two years ago and I have them about twice a week.  

When I have the spells, the room moves back and forth quickly, I can't get up or move.  It last about 20 - 30 min.  I'm tired afterwards.  I went to specialist a few times and they say it's not Vertigo..Mennieres ( I don't know )..  they don't know what the cause is.  I'm going to have a cervical spine MRI to check for lesions?  I have no ideas of remedies.  I've tried Serc..the Dr tried that..maybe you should.. it didn't work for me though?  check out Oscillopsia online, see what you think of that?  Good Luck...bet we are not alone.

[sirjoseph]

sometimes ill get mild headaches too that seem to be related to the pressure