Dizzy, rocking swaying sensation, can anxi... - Anxiety Support

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Dizzy, rocking swaying sensation, can anxiety really cause this?

flagirl profile image
35 Replies

Hi everyone

I'm new here. I hope everyone is well. I'm having a hard time believing anxiety can cause dizziness, with a rocking like on a boat sensation. I've had this now for years, but it stopped for about 5 years and just recently returned. Initially upon it starting I was diagnosed with BPPV and treated for it. Well when it came back in July this year, I went back to my primary care doc and he said it was back and sent me back to physical therapy where I had 2 more eply maneuvers done and some neck therapy. THen I went to my neuorologist who I saw 5 years ago for bad headaches with neck pain and dizziness, he did trigger point injections and that stopped it. Well now it back and it was bad and its calmed some but still there. I am hypothyroid and those levels have been up and down and when that happen the anxiety can go off the charts. I was also diagnosed about 14 years ago with anxiety disorder. Since this dizziness has come back I can't seem to accept that its anxiety and my thyroid levels being off. I have a very hard time believing doctors. Odd thing is when I saw them all this time none of them wanted to check my brain, they said you are ok and its the BPPV and stress and anxiety making it all worse. So I headed back to my psychologist and looking back when I saw her 5 years ago I had exactly the same things with the exception I was also going thru menopaus.

My question is can anxiety really cause all this dizziness with neck pain and headaches. I have other symptoms but as the years have passed I've learned to get past them. I am a complete worrier. This symptom seems to come out of no where. I can be happy and then stand up to do something like was dishes and wham, or lay down to sleep and there it feels like I'm on a wave, or just be sitting and watching a tv and bam, rocking dizziness. Usually before it hits, my neck and head will hurt some. Ijust can't seem to believe that anxiety can contribute to it.

If anyone has dizziness, with head and neck pain and anxiety, or just anyone who can help me understand it could you please respond.

Thanks

Flagirl

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35 Replies
mrsherondale profile image
mrsherondale

I don't have neck pain but I have a bad case of depersonalization. When I lie down at night it gets worse. I feel like I am rocking like a wave. Bobbing up and down. Sometimes i feel like i am on a roller coaster and its terrible. And my feet feel rubbery and my legs are weird and shaky. I hope we get well soon. I'm looking for a cure but I find nothing. But when I see so many of us suffering and getting through the day it gives me hope that one day we will get better :) hope you feel fine soon.

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply tomrsherondale

MdDS look it up

_rainedrop profile image
_rainedrop in reply toPicker1956

That is specifically after a moving event like a cruise ship or roller coasters. These people are talking about a rocking sensation WITHOUT a motion activity occurring.

Vsbythesea profile image
Vsbythesea

Hi. I too have suffered with similar symptoms minus the thyroid issue. Like a drunken sailor at times. It comes and goes. I have noticed that my headaches and dizziness could be sinus related. My headaches...a lot of headaches....seem to be in nasal area and work up into forehead. I have been having a problem for five weeks now with my right ear and a feeling like I have a mild cold all the time. My right ear feels full and like when you get water in it only this won't pop open. Saw my ENT and he said there was fluid behind the eardrum. So he put me on strong steroids which did not help, I still have the ear problem. I'm a worrier too and he said if this doesn't work after a month I will have to do an endoscope to be sure there are no growths in there...well, that freaked me out and now all I can think about is OMGosh, is-this is a tumor ....my neighbors daughter is dying from brain tumors and she's only 47 years old. I think that all the worrying and fear and health anxiety are partly to blame for my imbalance feelings. I too can feel fine one moment then horrid the next. I'm full of what ifs and fear. I know that fear is a horrible emotion and does nothing more than make your mole hills into huge mountains.

So, FLgirl, I really understand what you are going thru. I'm guessing FL girl means Florida...I too live there and wonder if the barometric pressure, humidity and allergies have more to do with it than we realize. My ear issue began when the hurricane was looming offshore.

Take care.

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toVsbythesea

MdDS could be the culprit!!

Mumsy9 profile image
Mumsy9

Hi, I hope you are better now but just want your opinion, if you have the time. My mother has almost constant dizziness in the head. Ears are fine. Bad arthritis in neck, severe head pain (not just a normal headache) also has anxiety disorder. I'm at a loss as to what to suggest. If you can reply with any suggestion I'd be most grateful. Very kind regards, Sharon

in reply toMumsy9

Is the arthritis in the neck effecting the muscles in her neck? Sometimes if the neck muscles aren't right it can play on your scalp, frontal sinus area above the nose, inner ear, tongue and other places. So you can get headache from it.

Mumsy9 profile image
Mumsy9 in reply to

Yes arthritis in neck and shoulders. Will investigate further. Thank you so much for replying. Regards Sharon

in reply toMumsy9

Good luck.

Mumsy9 profile image
Mumsy9 in reply to

Thanks so much

flagirl profile image
flagirl in reply toMumsy9

HI, I'm sorry your mom is having a bad time. I am still dizzy most everyday. I was finally diagnosed with Vestibular migraine/migraine associated vertigo, its constant for most of us with it, type of dizziness/vertigo. I have many different sensations of it, like swaying,rocking, bobbing up and down, leaning feelings, swinging feeling, falling backward, floating feeling, being pushed forward when walking, feels like the floor is moving up and down when I walk, neck pain, tops of my shoulders will suddenly become tight and a headache with it, sometimes the headache with extreme dizziness, nausea, ear fullness occationally, ear pain, ringing in the ears but mine sounds like crickets chipping at night. There are many sensations with disorder. But to get diagnosed with it she may need to see a neuro-otolaryologist a doc who specializes in vertigo, some ENT's can help but they don't know enough about it. I hope she gets help. Its a hard disorder to live with, they have meds and diets but mostly its figuring out triggers to the silent migraines, which is what the dizzy part of this is.

Mumsy9 profile image
Mumsy9 in reply toflagirl

Thank you so much for your time, really appreciate it. It's def not vertigo. And not balance. And not an ear problem. It's just a swaying in the head. Really weird. No doc she's seen can explain it. Again thank you so much. I hope you get sorted. Best regards Sharon

flagirl profile image
flagirl in reply toMumsy9

Sharon, mine is swaying feeling in the head and can feel it thru my body, feels like I'm rocking but I'm not. Vertigo is a feeling of movement but your not, its not the room spinning. Its an awful feeling you feel like your on a boat all the time.

Mumsy9 profile image
Mumsy9 in reply toflagirl

She can't feel it through her body just in the head, really weird. A sort of swinging motion, but she knows she's not really moving! Been asking doc but they have no answer. Thanks for your support

TracyLynn profile image
TracyLynn in reply toMumsy9

Perhaps menieres syndrome (spelling?)

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toMumsy9

Mdds

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toflagirl

MdDS and vestibular migraines go hand and hand

User4567 profile image
User4567

Currently experiencing this I feel like I am floating most of the time. The only thing helps is I get up and go for a walk. But then I start to have heart palpations. It comes and goes. I hope this celexa 20mg works for me I just started

Comedyfeelsbetter profile image
Comedyfeelsbetter in reply toUser4567

Im on celexa currently was diagnosed with an ocular migraine that could have been brought on by stress. I have had a lot of stress lately so it makes sense. I was feeling better for a while then stressed myself again and back to the swing feeling. Which causes anxiety and its just a revolving door

Ashley1489 profile image
Ashley1489

Yes I've had this for four years unfortunately it's the worst symptom for me to cope with, mine are more of a falling sensation like I'm bout to faint in a sense it feels like the floor is falling beneath me

flagirl profile image
flagirl in reply toAshley1489

I get that falling sensation, drives me nuts, I have it standing sitting & laying down. You suddenly in a split second feel like your dropping. Have you been told what it is?

Ashley1489 profile image
Ashley1489 in reply toflagirl

Anxiety and panic disorder is all I've been told but they do t understand if I didn't have those feelings I would t be anxious or panic

in reply toAshley1489

How are you

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toAshley1489

Mdds

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956

You have MdDS

Ashley1489 profile image
Ashley1489 in reply toPicker1956

How do you know that? I’ve never been on a plane or a boat

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toAshley1489

It could happen just on a car ride , trampoline, I’m finding a lot more about it since I’m trying to help my daughter

Ashley1489 profile image
Ashley1489 in reply toPicker1956

What’s the fix or is this a lifetime thing

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toAshley1489

There’s no cure right now but some people get relief by therapy , you have to find a doctor in your area if you can , usually someone that deals with balance disorders

Ashley1489 profile image
Ashley1489 in reply toPicker1956

How did your daughter get it

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toAshley1489

On an airplane

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956 in reply toPicker1956

What started your nightmare

Picker1956 profile image
Picker1956

MdDS for sure

Bebeeq profile image
Bebeeq

I have exactly those symptoms to the point I thought aliens coming to visit us from their s space ship it was so magnetic sinking vibrating feeling as though on a boat. Sensation that I'm not in gravity. have you found the answer to your diagnosis.

I don't think I can be feeling this Sensation even causing me lack of sleep

OO8OO profile image
OO8OO

Interesting coincidence. Five-six years ago everything started, first the random dizziness episodes, then sensory overload,noises too loud, lights too bright, anxiety and suffocating especially in crowded places like stores. Then BPPV happened, couldn't treat it at home, but the special apparatus at the physical therapist helped. After BPPV being fixed, no more sensory overload, but to this day boat-like feeling, swaying, rocking, bobbing, tilting. There is a pulsating and jittering sensation seems around the vestibular regions, as if aggravated by something. Comes and goes depending on stress,environment, situation,etc... Also, ETD(Eustachian tube dysfunction), wisdom tooth coming in, and jaw popping,grinding, clicking all happening the same year after BPPV. Thinking that if the jaw has been shifted, pressure against the ears may be affecting the vestubular areas. TMJ causes dizziness too. So, will pull the wisdom tooth first,then take an extended break from work to observe any changes, which may be contributing to this condition, because on days off feeling fine. Taking a walk helps, and sensory deprivation.

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