Vertigo

Thank you soooo much for your reply.

My c1 also pulls to the left, and all my muscles are knotted up as well on the left. It hurts to lift my arm, hurts to carry a purse on that shoulder and lifting it gets extremely tiresome. I haven't been evaluated for TOS yet.

Thank you for the recommendation. I will try and request an appt.

I actually have to go through Mayo, as I work at mayo as a medical assistant, so anything out of network would be more expensive.

I also have a connective tissue disorder, which more than likely is Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos. Again, finding a Dr comfortable to diagnose is also proving to be difficult.

Hi, newb here, with the vertigo stuff. I do have a few autoimmunes and fibro/cfatigue. The dizziness started last year but I just recently started getting it checked out. About to start vestib rehab with my PT place. Thankfully it’s been quiet for a month or so.

@csalter Cassie, When I was evaluated for TOS at Mayo Rochester it was in the Vascular Lab in Gonda and I think Dr. Shepherd was the consulting thoracic surgeon. They tested me with tiny blood pressure cuffs on each finger and moved my arm and neck in various positions measuring the drop in blood pressure. My spine surgery consult was Jeremy Fogelson and the neurologist he had me consult was Dr. Bartelson from the spine center. Dr. Bartelson also tested me by listening to the pulse in my neck which disappears when I turn my head because of TOS. If TOS in a non surgical case, myofascial release with a certified therapist can help. I have done MFR work for years and self treat at home from what I have learned. If you search for myofascial release of the Mayo website, you'll find a couple of chiropractors listed as doing this in the rehab center. I don't know anything about that as my Pt is local where I live.

Since you have C1 twisting, you could start with Dr. Fogelson as he knows about thoracic outlet syndrome. He has authored papers on Bowhunter's Syndrome which is a similar issue of C1 twisting and staying like that. You may benefit from some physical therapy. Dr. Fogelson is highly requested because he is so good and gets a lot of requests because I talk about him on Connect from my experience.

If you have more questions I can answer, please ask. (and lucky you for working at the best place for medical care)

Jennifer

@herbi13 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I’m glad you found this site. I’m sure you will get responses from members as this is a very helpful group. I have occasional dizziness/unsteadiness, but I think it’s really associated with my AD which is on my brain.
What does your doctor say about what may have started the vertigo?

Hearing loss
Ménière's disease

I have had vertigo for a couple of years. It got worse and I finally found a Physical therapist who has helped me with it. I had two symptoms: dizziness and brain fog. After three weeks of PT my brain fog is gone, but the dizziness still bothers me and we are continuing with treatment. Some of the problem came from incredible tension in my neck area . Some of them may be exacerbated by imbalance caused by PN, But some of it seems to reflect the fact that my eyes are not working together.... I had cataracts and chose to put in two different lenses: one to read and one for distance.. These may be the cause of the dizziness. I am writing this to caution anyone who is considering replacing lenses as I did, to think twice.... I have not had any imaging but am going to look into the possibility . I have always had problems with motion sickness and still can't read in a car or sit in the bac k seat without feeling queasy.
MY PT is terrific. He has released much of the tension in my neck, increased the range of motion, and we will be working on the eye imbalance in the following weeks...
I am a writer and probably spend too much time on my computer or reading books .. have changed my computer positions and am trying t o spend less time writing and reading, .
Fingers crossed!!

Thank you : )
It has been suggested that it is part of my fibromyalgia responses. I don’t have inner ear issues per testing, so this is the most logical suggestion to date. It has been quiet for several weeks which I am very happy about!

Hope you find the solution.. Neck tension is very prevalent. And you might check on your eye coordination.. Glad it has been quiet for a few weeks and hope that is the end of it...

After a compression fracture in the spine I started to have vertigo. I had it investigated by a specialist and was rediagnosed as Meniere disease. I was told to avoid salt, which is very difficult to do, and I also lost my sense of taste. Any others suffering from that problem?

Your situation sounds so similar to my dizziness, but only when standing up. Sitting or lying down, I am not dizzy. I also had two different lenses put in after cateract removal surgery. Against my ophthalmologist’s advice that my brain might not be able to coordinate my vision like it had when I wore contact lenses for years- one close up and one distance. Well, he was right!
I also had problems with motion sickness in cars, Still can’t read in a moving car. Much worse as a child.
How will your physiotherapist address your eye imbalance?
I too have a wonderful physiotherapist but she has been busy over the years working with my recovery from 4 total hip replacements between 2011 and 2016 and onward to try to regain flexibility in my legs.
Now I will ask her about connection between my replacement eye lenses and dizziness while standing which is debilitating for me. Thank you.