[Dizzyduck]

#35162

Hi,
Background: 37F, prior to incident I did yoga daily and running every other day, no alcohol or smoking.
My problems began when I fell from the top of a ladder last summer(roughly 6ft), landed on all fours, my hands hitting concrete and my skins landing on the metal ladder. My shins were in bad shape so I wasn’t very mobile. After a few weeks I started doing yoga again and noticed my left arm was sore and didn’t have much range of motion. Due to covid I didn’t see a doctor because I didn’t want to waste anyones time…stupid, I know. I also had a sore neck but I had one year old twins to take care of and didn’t pay too much attention to it.
Then in august I was out with the double pram and crossed the road, the wheel went down a hole and the pram almost fell forward, I jerked to a stop and again, bashed my shins off the bar of the pram and whipped my neck forward.
The following month I turned my head to speak to my daughter and got vertigo for the first time. The dizziness never left. I saw the gp who told me over the phone that it was an ear infection. I was prescribed various medications over the weeks and nothing worked. I asked to be seen and explained my neck pain and asked if there was a connection between my neck movement and vertigo, was told no. Sent for blood tests for vitamin deficiency, all returned normal.
After 6 weeks of constant dizziness and feeling like I was on a boat I saw a chiropractor, my gp said this was ok. I started to feel a bit better and then one day after a violent neck manipulation, I felt worse than ever. I called and spoke to another gp who said I shouldn’t have gone.
So after 4 months of the constant symptoms and being told it is all down to anxiety, I finally managed to get a referral to ENT vestibular, who diagnosed by with BPPV and discharged me. 3 months of doing exercises had no effect. I was referred to physio and orthopaedics. Physio has done nothing for the pain. I have gained very minimal range of motion in my neck but nothing for pain.
I finally saw an orthopaedic physio a few weeks ago who said this could be a result of whiplash but refused to scan me. She said this would probably get better in 6 months.
I’m at a loss.
My symptoms include: neck pain, daily headaches and nausea, constant dizziness/vertigo/loss of balance, ear fullness on occasion, intermittent blurred vision in right eye, right arm weakness, lower back pain, pain when lifting left arm and for the past few days I have had weakness in both legs.
The last time I spoke to the gp about my headaches, I was given migraine medication which did nothing and was told to call back and get referral to neurology. I know there is a wait of over a year and I need to know if this is the right path. Should I wait or should I see another specialist? I have had zero scans and My physio hasn’t laid a hand on me, so I have no idea what’s going on other than doctors guessing what it could be and giving me endless amounts of useless medication.
Thank you for your time, I know this is a incredibly lengthy. I am just keen to get my life back. Thanks again.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#35163

There are some neck conditions that can cause your symptoms but they are rare and a workup commonly is negative for diagnosing these. The workup is an MRI of the neck with vascular study at the same time and if negative, then a arterial CT study with rotational views. These are quite expensive and unfortunately, commonly non-revealing. You can take anti-vertigo medications and give it time which is the most common treatment. Avoid manipulation of your neck, deep massage and roller-coasters.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

[foxylady]

#35259

Could be spinal nerves causing Thoracic Outlet syndrome. Look on line for MSK Neurology, he has his own website and is on facebook – a great guy who’s very clever in diagnosing people like you and me who have baffled drs for years. You could ask Dr to do digital motion x-rays to look for anything trapping blood flow or MRA which is MRI scan with dye to check blood vessels and arteries. If it’s not blood flow blocked or trapped it may just be nerves pinched. Shoulder impingement is another option I have that and it traps Subclavian artery like when I hold a phone to my ear and I feel faint. The only other thing I can think is Subclavian Steal Syndrome if it specifically when you use arms.

[foxylady]

#35261

**Please note, I am only a sufferer not a dr.**

You say: “My symptoms include: neck pain, daily headaches and nausea, constant dizziness/vertigo/loss of balance, ear fullness on occasion, intermittent blurred vision in right eye, right arm weakness, lower back pain, pain when lifting left arm and for the past few days I have had weakness in both legs.”

Loss of balance comes from ears or spine.
If you have seen ENT and got BPPV diagnosis they can do surgery to put crystals in a place where they dont bother you and dont cause the dizziness.

Please, think about this – are your symptoms dizziness as in a spinning feeling? Or faintness as in you feel you may pass out? That might help you in finding the cause.
For years Drs wrote on my record dizziness, when infact what I had was faintness. It was my son who pointed this out. He said it sounds more like faintness Mum. So we started looking at other causes and found I have a heart problem, my heart goes too fast sometimes, SVT.

Neck pain may be pinched nerves, is it a dull ache either side of the base of your neck? I have this it is severe intervertebral foraminal, basically herniated discs causing pinched nerves.

Ear fullness could be a blood flow issue or a blockage in your Eustachian tube.

Blurred vision could be a spinal nerve pinched in neck.

Arm weakness could be a spinal nerve pinched.

Pain lifting your arm sounds to me like shoulder impingement syndrome.

Good luck, I know what it’s like to live with this misery, I’ve suffered 27 years!

[foxylady]

#35264

You could be occluding Vertebral arteries on neck/head turning. This means as you turn your head you trap blood flow to your brain. Vertebral arteries are the ones that run along your spine.

Get your GP to test you for it, ask for a Vertebral artery test, if it’s positive you need them to scan the arteries.

Mine is a similar story to yours. Mine began after domestic violence. My ex beat me up bad, my neck got whipped back as he pushed me onto a bed and my neck cracked. I also got thrown against a doorframe which damaged my shoulder.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#35265

Be careful with recommendations please. “Blurred vision could be a spinal nerve pinched in neck” is not accurate as the spinal nerves do not go to the visual cortex or the extra ocular nerves. Many things can cause the symptoms you note.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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