UPDATE unexplained mild vertigo/light headed feeling

[Globetrotter]

Thanks folks, for your advice and concern. I went to see my favorite doctor on Tuesday, and she figured out that my entire left eardrum was blocked by... ear wax, seriously! They pressure-washed it out, for lack of a better term. After that, I was able to lift objects without concentrating (It was 75% better that day, and over the last few days it's improved, so today it's almost normal). I still have some dizziness, though it has improved. Since the other symptom resolved, I'm thinking maybe the residual dizziness is due to the ear wax removal, as the lavage was pretty intense! I also started using the neti pot for my congestion, and today I used it the proper way (with warm water) and I felt my ears tingling. I suspect it's all due to my ears. I have an appointment on Monday, so I'll have her take another look and follow up.

I just wish the first doctor would have removed the darn ear wax! She said she didn't think that could cause constant vertigo. (btw, I'm still not sure if this is vertigo or dizziness - the whole issue is confusing to me :)). We're still not 100% sure that was the problem (ear wax) but it appears to be! has anyone had a lavage for their ear wax removal? How long would you expect to be dizzy after that? The dizziness is very mild, though, so I'm hesitant to take the medicine she prescribed to prevent dizziness (mechlizine). One of the possible side effects is.... dizziness! seriously :tongue5: I'm sure that is unlikely to happen, but still ;)
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I've been having this strange feeling for a week now. I'm slightly off balance, feel a bit dizzy and have to concentrate when I'm writing or cutting. I also have to focus when I'm holding something heavy. It first started last week when I reached for something in a cabinet, then it went away for two days. For the past three days it's been continuous. It's not enough to prevent me from doing things, but I do feel lethargic also. Like right now I plan to take a nap... so unusual for me.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and the physical exam and labs all came back normal (thryoid, blood counts - I'm slightly anemic, but that is normal for me due to another condition I have, kidney, etc...). It has been hot recently, but I was out in the sun all weekend and didn't experience this until we got back home in a cool house! I have been drinking more water in case that was it. She examined my ears and didn't say there was anything wrong. I wonder if inner ear problems can be detected on a general exam? I do have allergies so that is another thought. They asked me to take an antihistamine to clear any congestion. I am on a mild dose of a diuretic for a cosmetic issue, but I stopped taking that yesterday in case, and the feeling has not subsided at all.

Any ideas? You all have been so helpful, especially recently, that I thought I would ask here.

[pharmjenn]

I had very similar symptoms a couple months ago. I had a cold, so attributed it to ear congestion. A sinus infection can also cause dizziness. Did your doctor press on your cheekbones? That is one way they check for infection. My doctor helpfully (not) just told me some people have dizziness as they get older and I will just have to live with it. It has cleared up. I took meclizine twice a day (it is OTC here, but is not in every state) to help with the dizziness.

Hope your symptoms clear up, or they find the cause.

[newbiemom]

That's weird, because I've been feeling the same way, off and one, for weeks.
Lightheaded, brain-foggyish, sometimes dizzy. I haven't had a chance to see a dr yet. I've been thinking possibly allergy related, although I don't normally suffer from allergies.

I told my DH it feels like I've taken a slightly more benadryl than I should and I'm just in this state of discombobulation

[bnme]

Sinus infection or other inner ear thing? I would see an ENT if it persists.

[JTsMom]

I posted about having something similar recently. I think mine has something to do with my neck. Along with the swimmy, light-headed feeling, I was having numbness in my right arm. It's getting better now. I saw a pain management dr., and he put me on a Medrol dose pack.

I had an MRI done, and I'm having another one on my brain next week, just to be on the safe side.

[brittone2]

There are special tests that can be done to look at equilibrium/vestibular etc. issues. Some of them involve moving the patient through a range of positions passively (meaning you basically relax and the physician or physical therapist would move you). Did your physician do anything like that?

You might consider an ENT consult if it continues and or seeking out a physical therapist trained in vestibular issues. Sometimes little things called otoliths in your inner ear (like little floating crystals) get out of whack, and that can throw off your sense of equilibrium for example. There are treatments that can sometimes help.

Many years ago my mom had a virus settle in her inner ear and her only symptoms were extreme dizziness/vertigo. It took a lot of chasing to determine the problem in her case, but they eventually found it.

eta: if you move your head rapidly, or quickly change positions, is it worse/does it bring on the symptoms?

When you are carrying something heavy, and feel you have to focus more-do you feel like you are going to drop the item? Do your arms/hands feel weak? Or does carrying something make you feel more dizzy? It would be worth getting your neck etc. checked out as well as part of a thorough exam.

[Globetrotter]

Thanks guys! I appreciate hearing other stories. I am congested, but I didn't want to start the decongestant right away because I stopped the diuretic and wanted to see if that made a difference. I think I'll start it today.

The doctor did a bunch of tests that seemed to check for motor issues/balance/stroke??, like making me lie down and get up, squeeze my eyes and open them fast, walk on tiptoes and heel to toe, apply resistance against her arm from my forearm/hands/legs, putting my hands out to check for tremors (?), closing my eyes and then putting my arms out to balance, reflexes, and so on.. Everything was normal. I don't recall that she moved me through any motions without me making an effort?? I think she might have squeezed my cheekbones, but honestly there were so many things I can't remember! She did something on my face, though. She also checked to see if I could hear from both ears.


eta: if you move your head rapidly, or quickly change positions, is it worse/does it bring on the symptoms?

When you are carrying something heavy, and feel you have to focus more-do you feel like you are going to drop the item? Do your arms/hands feel weak? Or does carrying something make you feel more dizzy? It would be worth getting your neck etc. checked out as well as part of a thorough exam.



It did initially seem to stem from sudden movements (well, reaching for something that was high or getting up suddenly) but now it doesn't seem to make a difference, at least not in my mini experiment right now :)

When I carry something heavy or write, I focus mainly because I have a fear of dropping it and I do feel a bit weak, though I don't think I am. I think it's because I feel a bit out of balance, whereas normally I would just do things without thinking. Yesterday I carried a heavy laundry basket up the steps (after checking to see if I could handle it) and was fine.

The other thing is, I'm preparing to walk a half marathon next week and have been training for that! could that have any effect on this?? The symptoms started about 4 days after a heavy walking session, then I walked on SAturday and was fine until the next day. Then Tuesday I did ten miles. It did start up after that, but not right away. I'm able to do all routine activities, like laundry, housework (in fact, if anything, the past week I've been doing more with the camping packing and unpacking). All the while, I have this strange but mild sensation! weird.

I walked six miles last night and I actually felt better during the walk because I took big strides and felt I could balance better. It sounds CRAZY for me to be considering this, but I really don't want to miss this event.. is it a bad idea? My doctor said not to do anything that makes me feel worse. I was going to wait and see how it goes next week! I think the exercise might be contributing to my fatigue.

The other thing is, I stopped the diuretic on Thursday and it's been two full days now and I don't think it's making a difference yet, but I'm not sure how long it would take for that to happen, and all my labs (electrolytes, kidney) came back normal, so maybe that's not it.

We're going away for the weekend so I may not check again until Monday, but I really appreciate all the replies!!

[amldaley]

Try hydrating and a good decongestant. Get plenty of sleep.

Google "benign positional vertigo" and see if that answers anything for you.

[jren]

I posted about having something similar recently. I think mine has something to do with my neck. Along with the swimmy, light-headed feeling, I was having numbness in my right arm. It's getting better now. I saw a pain management dr., and he put me on a Medrol dose pack.

I had an MRI done, and I'm having another one on my brain next week, just to be on the safe side.

I was wondering how your tests turned out. Given your symptoms, I would be surprised if they find anything on the brain MRI that wasn't on the spinal (b/c those specific sx tend to originate from the spine). That's a good thing! Annoying that they couldn't just do spinal AND brain MRI at the same time, though.

To the OP, does your blood pressure tend to run on the low side? Mine is always very low, which is healthy, but can cause dizzy spells - especially if overheated or tired.

[newmomto1]

I was having VERY similar symptoms.
And, I was really having a hard time distinguishing if it was real vertigo or maybe anxiety?
In the past year I had two episodes of fluid in my inner ear.
I did not go to an ENT, I was treated by my PMD.
He thinks I have a very sensitive inner ear (he actually had a name for it & I am blanking out on it now) and that I was having real symptoms.
I think my symptoms were real...but exacerbated by anxiety...because as soon as I would get a little dizzy it would freak me out & I think I made myself worse. Especially true if I was out & about running errands or something.
ANYWAY...he put me on a low dose of Valium each night that is an actual treatment for the vertigo...& side benefit af calming me down ;)
I've been great ever since!!!!

[kimberley-k]

Just wanted to say I've had the exact same thing. The part that bothered me most was driving. I had to try so hard to concentrate. All my labs were normal and brain CT clear. I was referred to a neurologist, who was concerned, and says it is definitely *something* (in other words, I'm not crazy), she occasionally sees people with this problem, and she ruled out anything serious like brain tumor or MS. My primary care doc thought it was allergies and wanted me to take Claritin. I thought that was ridiculous and didn't do it (isn't it allergy *meds* that cause these kind of side effects?). The neurologist concurred with me that it was definitely not allergies. After a few months it gradually went away.

-Kim

[graciebellesmomma]

I was going to suggest anxiety or unbalanced hormones.

[bigpassport]

DH has had a couple of dizzy spells recently. We talked to his brother who is an ENT. One of the possibilities was "benign paroxysmal positional vertigo". I don't know much about it, but thought I'd throw it out there.

[DebbieJ]

how was your blood pressure?

Low blood pressure could be causing what you are describing.

[bnme]

Another thought for people experiencing these types of symptoms is to see an Otologist -specializes in hearing and the inner ear and very different from an ENT. My DH has a rare inner ear disorder that most ENTs have never even heard of and an otologist diagnosed him in minutes. If you have dizziness combined with any ear symptoms (mild hearing loss, pain or fullness in the ear, tinnitus, hearing unusual sounds) I'd urge you to see one.

[jerseygirl07067]

DH has had a couple of dizzy spells recently. We talked to his brother who is an ENT. One of the possibilities was "benign paroxysmal positional vertigo". I don't know much about it, but thought I'd throw it out there.

I totally second the recommendation from brittone2. I am also a physical therapist and I have had extra training in vestibular/balance disorders. It's one of my specialty areas.

Regarding the "ear crystals that get out of whack" as she mentioned, that is what is referred to as BPPV as the ENT mentioned above stated. The most common symptoms are the sensation of the room spinning when lying flat, rolling to one side, or tipping your head forward or backward (like when putting on shoes, rinsing hair in the shower or in the sink at the hair salon). However, while these are the most commonly reported symptoms, there are some patients that describe similar sensations that you are describing.

I also wanted to ask if you were on any other medications, other than the diuretic as sometimes these can come into play. The diuretic can also cause lightheadedness too, but you said you did stop that one. I also check patients' blood pressure lying down, sitting, and standing up, to see if there is a significant drop.

Make sure your water intake is good, and that you're getting a good balance of electrolytes too.

So, overall, I agree on the ENT recommendation, but even moreso a good PT who specializes in vestibular rehab. They should look at your neck too, just to rule out the cervical area as a possible cause - that can also give you similar symptoms.

If you do go to an ENT, you might want to see if you can find an ENT with a subspecialty (that is referred to as neuro-otologist). These ENTs are usually more well versed in vestibular disorders related to the inner ear.

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Globetrotter]

It's still going on... sigh...

I'm going to call another doctor tomorrow to get an appt. with her. I go there for physicals and stuff like this, and she's very thorough. Unfortunately, she isn't there all the time so it doesn't work so well for urgent care :(

I'm not on any other meds, though I started a decongestant on Saturday - so far no difference, but I have to see if I'm taking a high enough dose as we were out of town and I took what I had in the medicine bag.

My blood pressure is normally on the lower side, but that day it was higher (124/??). I kept telling them that was high for ME but they didn't seem too concerned. It didn't change significantly with position.

ETA: I was a bit late for the appt. so I ran up the steps. Silly of me, but at the time I wasn't thinking of my BP reading!

[strollerqueen]

Are you drinking plenty of water? Could it be an electrolyte imbalance?

[Globetrotter]

Are you drinking plenty of water? Could it be an electrolyte imbalance?

I'm making a point to drink more water now, and my electrolytes came back normal, so that's not it.

[jerseygirl07067]

Yeah, running up the steps will certainly increase your BP. So nothing to be concerned with if your systolic reading is 124.

Keep us posted as to what transpires.

[Globetrotter]

update in first post

[ThreeofUs]

So glad you had a good resolution!

I had my eustachian tube shed into my ear a looonnnnggg time ago, and had to have it taken out and then a lavage. I had been dizzy for about a week before, with awful ear pain, and the procedure surely helped. I was a little dizzy for a few days afterwards, but it cleared up very quickly.

[DrSally]

I had an episode of vertigo really bad, that was prob related to neck strain (I had 3 days of neck pain preceeding the episode). Since then, I've had one lesser episode, but some low level nausea, so I'm considering going to a PT with a speciality in vestibular issues. I've always had earwax buildup issues and have had them spray it out before. I've never gotten dizzyness from that though.

[JTsMom]

I'm so glad you're feeling better! :) I told DH your story, and he said he's had the lavage done before and it made him really dizzy for a day or 2. Later, he had another ENT tell him not to let anyone do that to him, and to have it sucked out instead.

[DrSally]

I'm so glad you're feeling better! :) I told DH your story, and he said he's had the lavage done before and it made him really dizzy for a day or 2. Later, he had another ENT tell him not to let anyone do that to him, and to have it sucked out instead.

Interesting. I've had many earwax removals, but never with by sucking it out. Usually, now, they use a small tool and hook/scrape it out.

[JTsMom]

Interesting. I've had many earwax removals, but never with by sucking it out. Usually, now, they use a small tool and hook/scrape it out.

Ouch! I've heard that's the most uncomfortable way. Yeah, the thing they use is some type of little vacuum device that looks kind of like an oil can- pulls the wax out in one big ball. I've never had it done, but DH has several times, and my grandmother has as well.

[DrSally]

Ouch! I've heard that's the most uncomfortable way. Yeah, the thing they use is some type of little vacuum device that looks kind of like an oil can- pulls the wax out in one big ball. I've never had it done, but DH has several times, and my grandmother has as well.

Yeah, it really hurts, b/c it's stuck to all those little hairs. Next time I should ask about the suction thing. I can't believe they can pull it out in one ball.