Vertigo

I have also had this issue and there are a couple of things that have helped. First, I had extensive physical therapy which helped to strengthen the muscles in my neck to better support my neck. Second, I am participating in a class at the YMCA called AOA Strength and Balance. This has helped a lot with my balance. And also, I take 25 milligrams of meclazine and .5 Ativan every 5 to 6 hours which helps with the dizziness.

I use topicals on my neck like Ben Gay, Bio Freeze or patches with Bio Freeze, menthol , lidocaine, menthol.

Tai Chi helps me a lot over time. It aligns and stretches the neck, and also deals with balance.

I have baclofen on hand: it cuts communication between the spine and muscles. If I make a big mistake I will take 1/4 clonazepam but only at night and never more than two nights in a row, to minimize use and avoid dependence. It acts as a muscle relaxant. I could not tolerate most other meds: Flexeril, meloxicam, gabapentin, tramadol, codeine (mostly address pain, not dizziness, except for the Flexeril). Meclizine makes me sleepy and doesn't really address my vertigo.

PT and OT might help with learning how to move. For me they only do massage. Massaging shoulder blade can help neck, for me.

It is good to go to a PT who is an expert in vertigo. They can ascertain what other causes may be contributing such as BPPV, labyrythitis, Meniere's, vestibular neuritis etc. But cervical issues can cause vertigo as you well know.

I am permanently unable to look up and when I had surgery I brought a note from my neurologist. The surgeons had to deal with that. Dentist and eye doctor can be challenging!

Have you had a mri of your cervical spine to see what is pressing on nerves or spinal cord? I have cervical spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease which has cause myelopathy spinal cord injury. I do get dizziness and balance issues but not necessarily vertigo where the room is spinning. Cervical issues can affect brain and nerve/spinal cord commit and from brain to body/body to brain and affect hearing/facial nerves (I have hearing loss from it and only 55).

*Correction, communications to/from brain (not commit). Just love autocorrect. 😉

@dlydailyhope thanks for that. I have myelopathy and radiculopathy left side but also tinnitus and facial pain and numbness. My neuro says it is all from the neck. I am trying to decide whether to spend money on MRI's of brain and neck which might also aggravate my tinnitus. Doubtful I have an acoustic neuroma with symmetric hearing loss but 3-15% of aocustic neuromas do.

Yeah, I've got the tinnitus, also. For me it's probably all from exposure to gunfire and helicopter engine noise.

Thank you all!

@rodturner military service seems to cause tinnitus for many.

Question: do you have facial numbness?

No, just hand numbness at night.

First off I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I have also been dealing with it. I would offer up some advice, with the caveat that I have yet to find a solution (going on a year now), though am hoping I’m getting closer. My suggestion is remember you know your body than anyone, yes even doctors! A little background, and I will keep it short, I suspected neck issues, for a long time as after my first surgery, my pain never went away, but my surgeon said he did everything right. So two years later, my PCP sent me on wild goose chase thru 2 ENTs, (multiple work ups), then a cardiologist as my symptoms were worse when working out, which concluded with a cardiac catheter, then on to a neurologist, who said I won’t find out what’s wrong just give you drug “just like we treat diabetes, drugs to help symptoms but no cure.” Needless to say after that statement, I demanded an MRI of the neck and lo and behold, my discs are degenerating with moderate stenosis etc. so what’s my point? Take control of your care, with this support group along with hours of research (and great people cheering me on) I have done that and believe now I’m on the right track. Will see but, I will tell you if I had demanded the MRI first, I believe I could have stopped some of the madness we call “the medical industrial complex”. Good luck, I will continue to post after my doc appt in Dec, but I will continue to read and monitor this site as it is the only thing that has kept me sane.