23 with near constant dizziness and lightheadedness.

@phillipc421 @lioness @redhead63 Dizziness, nausea, and vertigo can be caused by a neck problem. This happened to me because of muscle spasms that moved my vertebrae out of alignment because of a spine problem. If my C1 or C2 were turned or tilted, and then I look up, it started the vertigo instantly. There are problems like Bow Hunter's Syndrome, where something like this happens from turning the head. When you look up, you can jam the back of the skull back on the spine, and if the spine is not aligned properly, it can cause issues. Some problems like this alter the blood supply to the brain by compressing the vertebral artery.

When this happened to me prior to my spine surgery, I was trying to photograph birds migrating overhead, and even though I put my head back into a normal level position, the dizziness did not stop and I could not stop myself from falling backward. My physical therapist was able to realign my spine and correct this and stopped the dizziness. It doesn't happen anymore since I had surgery for cervical stenosis. My suggestion would be to have an evaluation with a physical therapist who works with spine surgery patients to assess the proper alignment of the way the skull sits on the spine and spinal alignment.

Hi there, don't mind me, I was intrigued by this thread because I have Chronic Sinusitis Disease and sometimes I too have dizzy spells. Such as, when I stand up or during exercise my eyesight is blurred and goes completely black for a few seconds or I lose my balance and feel disoriented, along with heart arrhythmias and a tight chest that can occur at rest and during any time (its never specific, nor has it been diagnosed as anything but stress but I'm 20 so I don't necessarily agree with that). So my thought was, have you had your thyroid checked along with hormones and blood sugar levels? After reading @jenniferhunter 's post, since you both used to be very active and fit I would try to remember any little injuries you had at a young age till now( @phillipc421 and @redhead63 ) the smallest injury may not show up unless someone is really looking for it and may show up years later with odd symptoms but no connection to anything because you never thought anything of it or remember it cuz you were so young, specifically any falls or head trauma or broken nose/fight/high school sport injuries or stress fractures. Ask your parents about any odd complaints of pain or discomfort as a child. As a toddler, I used to lay my head on the tile floor and my mother used to ask me what I was doing and I would tell her it felt cool on my hot, pounding head. I then had an MRI but it was cleared and I was sent home with no answers. To this day I'm an absolute mystery box and still have these awful migraines, chronic fatigue and what I think are pressure headaches from extreme compaction in my sinuses (so for all I know I could've had sinus problems since I was born). My ENT at Mayo, who I had met with a few times 2 years ago, wasn't even sure as to what was causing my symptoms but it was severe (I also met with 7 other primary doctors at Mayo all in different specialties). So since nothing has been determined as to what's really going on, I've decided to try pro and pre-biotics again and work on my gut health and start working with other types of treatments such as acupuncture and cryotherapy because I've heard nothing but positive outcomes from it. I've seen a holistic type of doctor in Walker, Minnesota. I think he is extremely intelligent/helpful and goes about diagnosis in a way I never knew was possible and I think it's worth a try for people who feel like there are no answers even from the best of the best! Just remember to keep an open mind and be optimistic, you never know what could be waiting behind the next door. Even if it seems super weird and unfamiliar, it never hurts to try something new, especially if it's about your health.

Hi there, don't mind me, I was intrigued by this thread because I have Chronic Sinusitis Disease and sometimes I too have dizzy spells. Such as, when I stand up or during exercise my eyesight is blurred and goes completely black for a few seconds or I lose my balance and feel disoriented, along with heart arrhythmias and a tight chest that can occur at rest and during any time (its never specific, nor has it been diagnosed as anything but stress but I'm 20 so I don't necessarily agree with that). So my thought was, have you had your thyroid checked along with hormones and blood sugar levels? After reading @jenniferhunter 's post, since you both used to be very active and fit I would try to remember any little injuries you had at a young age till now( @phillipc421 and @redhead63 ) the smallest injury may not show up unless someone is really looking for it and may show up years later with odd symptoms but no connection to anything because you never thought anything of it or remember it cuz you were so young, specifically any falls or head trauma or broken nose/fight/high school sport injuries or stress fractures. Ask your parents about any odd complaints of pain or discomfort as a child. As a toddler, I used to lay my head on the tile floor and my mother used to ask me what I was doing and I would tell her it felt cool on my hot, pounding head. I then had an MRI but it was cleared and I was sent home with no answers. To this day I'm an absolute mystery box and still have these awful migraines, chronic fatigue and what I think are pressure headaches from extreme compaction in my sinuses (so for all I know I could've had sinus problems since I was born). My ENT at Mayo, who I had met with a few times 2 years ago, wasn't even sure as to what was causing my symptoms but it was severe (I also met with 7 other primary doctors at Mayo all in different specialties). So since nothing has been determined as to what's really going on, I've decided to try pro and pre-biotics again and work on my gut health and start working with other types of treatments such as acupuncture and cryotherapy because I've heard nothing but positive outcomes from it. I've seen a holistic type of doctor in Walker, Minnesota. I think he is extremely intelligent/helpful and goes about diagnosis in a way I never knew was possible and I think it's worth a try for people who feel like there are no answers even from the best of the best! Just remember to keep an open mind and be optimistic, you never know what could be waiting behind the next door. Even if it seems super weird and unfamiliar, it never hurts to try something new, especially if it's about your health.

@zozo101 It sounds to me like your dizziness and vision going black on standing might be related to your heart and blood pressure. Have you consulted a doctor about that?

Standing up will cause a change, and your body has to compensate for that. At times if I stood up too quickly, it could happen to me. One of my doctors would take different blood pressure measurements while laying down, sitting or standing. The vertigo I experienced from the positional change in my neck (when the vertebrae were out of alignment) did not cause a loss of vision, instead it looked like the world was spinning.

I'm including a link about other causes of dizziness taht may be of interest.
https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/vestibular-impairment-and-its-association-to-the-neck-and-tmj/

I understand. I am much older than you, over 70 and had dizziness for over 4 years. mayoclinic a blessing, network. When I had my initial symptoms of dizziness 2015.....luckily I was attended by a physician which could focus on me(had a scribe at that hospital), and not side taxed with computers to physicians time and skill. Anyway, for an initial assessment, in a system that works off to a great start(had an initial CT to brain). Soon after that initial assessment had an emergency visit relating to dizziness and given diagnosis of BPPVC(benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo), an emergency MRI at mid night. With associated symptoms of nausea. I did later have another neurologist read my CT . Never take a blind shot in medicine, as in any profession, different dedication , skill and compassion levels. Now 2019, I been free of symptoms for about two month. During the initial period I was scouting assisted living systems, and not impressed with reward of having daily meals and waiting for the final hurrah. Anyway I was luckily, my dizziness did not tax my skills in computer research and able to drive, one reason I was scouting assisted living. During this time the level of neurological assessments and treatment are poor(in a world of medicine that has chapters in genetics and personal molecular medicine). The best for treatment is/was: dramamine(antihistamine) meclizine (antivert...a trade name more costly wasted product).....after these failures, found good old ginger about the best product to counter my type of dizziness. I did have to use a drug for nausea(for cancer patients initially) it does work, but with any complex, new expensive drugs, be careful. ) During this period, in the matrix of research, I found a great article by Dr. Martin A. Samuels M.D. Chairman of Neurology Professor of Neurology Brigham & Woman's Hospital Harvard Medical School Dizziness, that addresses Ill defined lightheadedness. One major mistake many physicians make in diagnosis of dizziness is to sort out vertigo from syncope. Because of this problem, many physicians get lost in defining dizziness solely to vertigo(a spinning type of dizziness), which is associated with Vestibular assessments and treatments, without addressing the other neurological dimension, syncope. Finally, since I was having less problems with nausea and regular dizziness, tried my final approach(all anti hypertensive meds, have side effects of dizziness) I changed anti HTN meds from CCB(Norvas), to an ARB, it did help the final step in the battle. But as all medications, the ARB's now found to have cancer side affects, had to return to my CCD. Such is the world of medicine, people, market and ones story. Luckily Mayo provides us with a network to share our story. JIM>>>

I'm glad you are doing better. A word of caution: I am horrified at the lack of knowledge in general about anticholinergic drugs - i.e. dramamine, Benadryl, Versicare, Antivert. Not only can they cause mental confusion and memory problems but there are some researchers who believe they can precipitate dementia. And, in fact, there is no doubt in my mind that countless elders are "warehoused" with "dementia" - confused due to their anticholinergic "meds" that keep them quiet and sedated. I only mention this because people thing that OTC drugs are by definition safe. They aren't always. Along with PPIS, I predict anticholinergic drugs will eventually be looked back on as some of the biggest medical mistakes/disasters of this century. And, of course, people desperate for dizziness relief are often told to take these drugs. You can search pubmed for research. Here's a fair CNN article on the subject. https://www.cnn.com/2016/04/18/health/otc-anticholinergic-drugs-dementia/index.html