Dizziness/nausea/off balance. Sinus related?

[sjr1969]

Hi. Since Xmas I have been having episodes of dizziness. In the last week it has got much worse where I also feel sick too. Inbetween I feel woozy and off balance. Last year before the dizzy spells, my hearing kept going funny. As if I was blocking my ears, like in my head my voice was loud. Drs checked ears and said looked ok, thought maybe fluid behind eardrum. When the dizzy spells started at Xmas I went back to the drs and they said they thought it was Labyrinthitis. I saw ENT yesterday who said it wasn't my ears and they want to do an MRI scan of the inner ear and my head. I'm now having fears of bad things being found. On top of all of this I feel a lot of sinus pressure but I'm not congested, only a little sniffly. Could the sinuses be causing the dizzy spells? Clutching at straws .... Thankyou x

[LunaLiuna]

I'm by no means a doctor but I know jaw problems and especially jaw joint problems can can cause everything you said except for the sickness. Which is fairly common with anxiety, as is muscle tension which can also cause the problems you listed although again, it wouldn't make you feel nauseous.

Do you clench and grind your teeth?

Hope your feeling better soon

[HoneyLove]

Don't worry too much about the scans, they're not looking for terrible things, only more insight into your balance

Sinuses can definitely cause balance issues. So can migraines, have you suffered with them in the past or have a family history of them? Jaw tension from clenching or grinding your teeth can also cause this kind of problem.

If your ENTs are helping you and knowledgeable on balance issues then you're in good hands .

---------- Post added at 16:31 ---------- Previous post was at 16:30 ----------

Lol Luna, you & me are like spokespeople for tmj and balance problems on here! X

[LunaLiuna]

Lol Luna, you & me are like spokespeople for tmj and balance problems on here! X

I know! it's quite funny because whenever I see something like this I think 'oh is HoneyLove reading this, I'm sure she'll mention it'

[HoneyLove]

I know! it's quite funny because whenever I see something like this I think 'oh is HoneyLove reading this, I'm sure she'll mention it'

I wish I didn't know so much about this stuff, I'm sure you wish the same! It's good we can guide people to help, but unfortunate that it's caused us so much trouble in our lives.

You know I finally saw a neurologist during the week, and he's diagnosed me with vestibular migraine. It's messing with my balance, it's like I have a migrane all the time, but without the headache.

I'm pretty sure that my jaw clenching at night is what's triggering it off for the main part (I have other triggers too). He wants me to try a migraine drug, but I'm kind of thinking that I'd really like to stop the jaw clenching because I'm sure it would help. But then, maybe the drug would help with the jaw clenching? It's hard to know! I wish I could just stop it myself, but I've been doing it ever since I was a little girl :(

[sjr1969]

Thanks so much for replying! Feeling desperate. No jaw clenching. I know ENT are experts but I really feel it's from my ears/sinus. Or both. Obviously I'm worried about what the scan will find x

---------- Post added at 18:00 ---------- Previous post was at 17:59 ----------

Can you describe what vestibular migraine feels like? X

[HoneyLove]

For me:

- lights are bright & painful
- sounds are loud & painful
- I feel like I'm drunk, my balance is off kilter
- I feel a spinning sensation in my head
- head and neck pain
- sometimes headaches
- brain fog
- everything bounces in my vision as I walk
- blurred vision
- looking at patterns makes me feel uncomfortable
- looking at movement makes me feel uncomfortable
- travel makes me feel dizzy and sick
- my ears ring constantly
- I feel exhausted and sick

All of these symptoms differ from day to day, but they are always there at some level. Main symptom is the balance and vision issues.

[HoneyLove]

There's no need to worry if you have them, especially if you think you might have migraine, it's easily treatable and manageable. I was glad to get a diagnosis because it meant I finally had a treatment plan.

I might point out that a lot of these can be chalked up to anxiety too. But I have had them on and off for 8 years, and the last year on a daily basis. They are extreme when at their worst (as in a lot of pain, lots of vertigo and barely can get out of bed or move), and obviosouly far more than anxiety. Balance testing showed that I did indeed have a balance problem.

They are giving me an MRI, but it's just to rule out everything. These are *not* the symptoms of a brain tumour or anything like that, so I am absolutely certain that the MRI will show up nothing. They're very obviously migraine, to the eye of a doctor who is knowledgeable about this condition.

[LunaLiuna]

I have all those symptoms and am worried, I'm going to try and get an MRI.

I HAD all those symptoms a while ago! they've all but gone now. in fact I noticed the sensitivity to patterns the other day. My nan had just got a new wallpaper and it made me feel yucky, the pattern wasn't the best though to be honest! I think half of those symptoms can be attributed to being oversensitive and full of adrenaline.I know because I use to look for symptoms I would be hypersensitive to everything.

Try and treat your anxiety and see if they go

[sjr1969]

Mine are mainly dizziness, off balance and nausea. Think it could be sinus issues..?