Lightheadedness

@jadillow, If you don't mind sharing a bit more specifically about your lightheadedness, it may help other members relate a bit more. There have been many members posting about periods of lightheadedness, but all relating to certain diagnoses. You have talked about your chest pain with some of the other members in other discussions, do you think your lightheadedness is related to that? Does it come when you are active or when you are moving, or is it present all the time even at rest? Does anything make it worse, or better?

It comes and goes and I’m thinking that it is related. I will be fine and then out of nowhere as I am walking I feel lightheaded. Not to the point the room is spinning but noticeable to where I know something is off. It lasts for a few hours also. All the issues I am having have all happened around the same time.

@jadillow - did you get any answers about the lightheadedness and the left side chest pain when you went to the new doctor?

No. I have follow up in about an hour. He seems to think anxiety an dorescribed me colonzopam. I still have pain off an on so it’s getting frustrating still. I have yet to take the medicine as I am unsure if this is what I need

@jadillow I wanted to share some information I found about vestibular issues that cause dizziness and light headedness. This was posted today in facebook on a page called Training and Rehabilitation from a physical therapist who teaches. Of course your doctor should be assessing your heart and blood pressure to make sure that is functioning, but beyond that, there could be a physical issue causing compression of the blood supply to the brain, and it can be caused by a spine alignment problem. Physical therapy can help something like that. If you also have headaches and neck pain, it might be worth getting an evaluation from a good physical therapist who understands spine rehab. My recommendation would also be to look at myofascial release therapy with physical therapy if this is what you find. I started a discussion with lots of information about MFR therapy. Here is the link, and the text from the facebook page. I am a cervical spine surgery patient and MFR has done a lot of good for me. If you still do not have answers, you might ask for a physical evaluation.

From Training and Rehabilitation on 2/24/19

"Traveling patient comes in with chronic vestibular dysfunction and fatigue as well as frequent visual obscurations. His problems have previously been rendered idiopathic as no concrete pathology could be identified.
Not shockingly, I identified bilateral mechanical obstruction of the internal jugular veins; a very common finding in these patients. I call this problem "jugular outlet syndrome". Grading of the stenoses is done with doppler volume flow measurements (Özen 2014). In this case, although the caliber of the veins seemed equal, doppler revealed 600ml/min in the right IJV which is normal. However, retrograde flow was demonstrated in the left IJV. Further examination showed secondary stenosis of the IJV at the internal carotid artery.
There are a few preexisting reports that documented unfortunate congenital positioning or kinking of the ICA which may stenose or even occlude the IJV, as seems to be the case here as well. But, is the ICA really to blame?
Closer inspection showed that, in reality, a forwardly translated C1 is pushing the IJV into the ICA. This is caused by many years of poor cervical posture (Larsen 2018c). Moreover, the double-crush effect imposed on the vein caused the post-stenotic pressure to be too low to overcome the second site, resulting in occlusion and even retrograde flow.
We now need to exclude thrombosis. But, I think it is just a vascular "double crush" phenomenon. I have asked him to acquire MRV images. Meanwhile, we are treating him conservatively, to decompress the jugular outlet."

Just curious did you ever find out what was causing your lightheadedness? Do you still have symptoms?

I have had lightheadedness as well for over 6 months now.

I am not quite sure of the difference between "lightheadedness", dizziness and vertigo.
I think true vertigo is when your vision sees everything truly spinning and it's impossible to walk. I have had this and had to crawl to the bathroom. Usually lasts about 24 hours and cause often unknown although the feeling is it's related to an inner ear balance issue. My dizziness is not vertigo but a feeling in my brain that I am moving. "Things" are not moving like vertigo but my mind tells me I am moving (back & forth for example).
Is lighheadedness a feeling one is going to pass out? I suppose my dizziness can also be called lightheadedness as when it occurs I do wonder if I am going to pass out but nothing "goes black" for me. But regardless, it's truly concerning. In my case it is anxiety although I do take medication for it...as it's also related to my migraines.
And more oddly, I can never lie completely flat - say on an examination table or in bed. I feel "something" happens to my blood pressure and I do become - I suppose - lightheaded. My head must always be propped up on pillows even going into a MRI or CT scan for example. All a bit confusing...any thoughts?

I hope this helps you to figure it out?
Dizziness is one of the most common health problems for adults.

Dizziness can be a range of sensations including feeling light-headed, faint, woozy, giddy, unsteady, off-balance or weak.

Vertigo is a type of dizziness that feels as though you or your surroundings are spinning.

Dizziness is often caused by illnesses that affect the inner ear, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), migraine and inflammation of the inner ear balance apparatus (called vestibular neuritis).