Dizziness

[Jwilcock]

I’m struggling with dizziness, today has been particularly bad. My head feels full & neck & shoulders are sore & rigid. Constantly worry I’m going to fall over to one side. Don’t like looking down or turning my head fast. Doctors say this is classic anxiety. Lots of tests done, all clear. Does anybody else feel like this?

[valachia-t]

I did for years, but they never really couldn't find out where it was coming from.

[Denhans]

Hi, I’ve been dizzy for the last few days. I put it down to my depression, which is at its peak right now!! So, you’re not alone. I do know it will pass. I have slept on and off for 5 days but today I’m up, not dressed but still upright!! 🤓

[Agora1]

Jwilcock, One of my main symptoms with anxiety has been what you are experiencing. Over time the muscles get so rigid both in the neck and shoulders. You can address this in 2 ways, make sure you are well hydrated as our muscles need water to function properly. Secondly, I find heat to be very soothing in relaxing the tight muscles and reducing the trigger points along the top of the shoulders and lower neck which is causing the dizziness.

Wrap a bath towel hot out of the dryer around your shoulders and neck, find a comfy chair siting up and drape a blanket across your legs. You should start to then feel your shoulders coming down away from your ears. Start deep breathing, slowly inhaling peace and calm, exhaling stress. Close your eyes and listen to music as you drift off for a few moments. Allow your thoughts to take you to a beautiful place in your mind.As you breathe out, the pressure in your head with reduce and allow the dizziness to dissipate. You are safe, you are warm, you are relaxed. Breathe...xx

[Jwilcock in reply to Agora1]

We’re your dizzy symptoms really like mine please be honest? I feel so alone sometimes.

[Jwilcock in reply to Jwilcock]

Should have said were

[Agora1 in reply to Jwilcock]

Jwilcock, I only talk from my own experiences and YES, the dizzy symptoms were like yours. My neck and shoulders are still the area that catches all my stress and worries. I just know how to work with the problem now and so the dizziness is less. Now when I do get dizzy, I realize it is a sign that I have not had much water for the day, or had too much stress and need to chill out for a while.

[Jwilcock in reply to Agora1]

Thank you so much you have given me so much reassurance, I really did feel it was only me. Xxx

[Agora1 in reply to Jwilcock]

Oh no way Jwilcock, We are never alone in our symptoms. I'm glad you feel a little more reassured. x

[Denhans in reply to Jwilcock]

Jw, we wouldn’t make out we feel dizzy!! That’s what this site is about. Being able to talk about things we wouldn’t dream of telling people around us, only us, know what you’re going through. We are here to support each other and be supported. I thought I was on my way out until I came on this site and realised it was part and parcel of my PTSD. Good luck my friend 😀

[marsbarr in reply to Agora1]

Agora1 has the best answers. Thanks again Agora1

[sarellano26]

Omg ! I am so glad I read all this I am dizzy too I feel like I am on a boat is a very smooth dizziness but I thought maybe I had a terrible sickness

[TheBlackdog]

I get this dizziness too. Never did and then all of a sudden it happened one day. Thought I had a virus but the symptoms were quite severe after a couple of days I realised it was a new way of my anxiety telling me it was there and could potentially get worse if I don't relax and and go with it. Once I began to realise it's the anxiety trying to take hold I stayed to feel more in control and better. I've suffered anxiety and depression for years but never had this before. I'm glad in a way add I am staying to feel more in tune with my body, my symptoms and hoe that because my symptoms have become more medical than mental in their presentation it had helped me see a light at the end of a tunnel strangely. I hope you stay to feel it soon. Good luck. Meditation is important. Let me know how you go?

[Jwilcock in reply to TheBlackdog]

How do you stay so positive? My symptoms are very physical too so I struggle to put it together with anxiety. This is causing me to spiral. I’d love to hear your advice. X

[SaraAll in reply to Jwilcock]

Me too... my anxiety is now showing itself physically, a lot. Now even if i feel better (no anxiety) the physical symptoms remind me of it and makes me worry even more ... i'm feeling trapped and it's like i will never get over it. Some times it hurts so much i get numb and it's like i'm watching my body from a window, like it doesn't belong to me.

[Jononon]

It can also be from allergies or another condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Allergy meds may help for the former. For the latter there are maneuvers that a Dr. Can walk you through to treat it. Lastly yes it can totally be related to anxiety and tension. I think my vertigo is a combo of all three. Klonopin really helped me through a spell long ago. The doc thought it was probably because the meds are also a muscle relaxer so it helped the tension in my neck. I haven't had a bad spell in a while. I also found that making myself get up and do things helped quite a bit too. I know it sounds counter intuitive but the brain can readjust when your positional sensors are out of whack. Only if you're comfortable though. If the vertigo has you falling over, don't do it. Lastly, I'm not a doctor. I'm just relaying what my experience has been and what my doctors have told me.

[p57rosie]

I get the dizziness and off balance feeling everyday...all day. Swaying and feeling like I'm rocking also. Like I'm leaning to one side when I walk or sometimes even when I sit on a chair. I take Meclizine to help with that but lately it isn't as effective as it used to be. I also take Xanax (alprozalam) and that helps to calm my body down. I'm short of breath and my stomach gets bloated weather I eat or not and hurts, my legs get weak (or so I think). It's just a very messy illness. How could our minds be doing this to us? I find that when I feel dizzy, I lay on the couch for about an hour and that seems to help. I also find that my neck and shoulders hurt when I'm dizzy. There must be some connection there. Everyone, including doctors, say, try not to concentrate on what is happening, but how can we figure out what to do to make us feel better if we don't pay attention to what's going on with us and what we have to do to make ourselves feel better.....even if just temporarily?

[Kayley12345]

Hi, I've currently being having your symptoms for about 4 months now, headaches, dizzness and pain in my neck, I also keep hearing crunching noises in my neck too when I move it, also I've been having tinnitus, my doctor is sending me for a brain scan in two weeks, have you an mri yet? X

[Jwilcock in reply to Kayley12345]

Yes my MRI was clear!

[howard327]

Hi,

I have neck and shoulder pains almost continuously. I have had them for many years and I have found that when I treat them with heat they respond very nicely. I purchased a device that is very helpful in relieving the pain and stiffness. It is a sock with handles on each in and you put that in the microwave for about a minute and a half and it’s quite warm. I place it on my neck and within an hour I am very much relieved. It is for sale at CVS drugstore. I would also like to add that I have had anxiety for a long time I take Ativan.5mg for this and it works well. I want you to know that you are certainly not alone with your problems. We are here to help you anyway we can so hang in there!

Also my wife had a severe dizziness attack and we rushed her to the ER where they gave her meclizine which helped her within an hour. She subsequently hasn’t had a relapse however she has the meclizine if nessesary.

[Ocdrecovery]

Why does it matter if anyone feels like this? I know it is because you want reassurance of some sort. I have been there but reassurance is no good for anxiety related disorders or ocd. Reassurance only makes you more vulnerable to anxiety. Ride it out by feeling it until it no longer bothers you no matter how distressful and scary it is for you. Also, why are you struggling? I know why. But the point is, the fact that you are struggling is the problem.....not the dizziness or sore neck or shoulders or fear of falling. You are fighting the wrong fight by struggling against it. The struggling is the problem....not the fact that you are dizzy or afraid. If you are dizzy then be dizzy. Don't fight against it. If you are afraid you may fall then feel your fear fully. But your trying to prevent it from happening and struggling against it is the wrong route and makes it worse. If you are dizzy be dizzy. If you are afraid then be afraid. If you are in pain then be in pain. If you fall then fall. But don't struggle against it and try to prevent it and make it go away. You have to go forward while being afraid (which is what courage is) but don't try to make everything safe and prevent. That will make your sick. You must go forward while being afraid even with taking the risk of falling. Then it will eventually stop bothering you. You must ignore it as best you can and proceed forward while it is bothering you until it eventually stops bothering you on its own which it will if you do what Is stated above.

[Ashley1489]

Four years of dizziness lightheaded feeling faint ... You're not alone

[TheBlackdog]

Hi again I gave read the replies and agree with all of them. I am a really positive person always trying to problem solve especially in my working role. However when it has come to trying to overcome anxiety it has become a massive wall. Up until recently when the attacks have become more dizziness and medical in presentation. But now I feel like I can try and overcome the attacks. This is probably purely because we all understand medical problems more easily and can in most cases improve medical conditions as there are scientific facts to show this. With mental health ie anxiety it is an unknown fact and more difficult to understand as everyone's experiences are so individual and personal. It is difficult to compare and prove as it is subjective. So what I am saying is I am taking a new approach to my condition, learning to love me and take more time and care with myself, my diet, haircare, fitness, face care, better sleep habits, laughing more, getting involved in more activities ie learn to knit, mindfulness colouring, trying new things ie meditation group in the forest! I am hopeful that this medical presentation is a way out of this nightmare! I started my new meds for 7 weeks now and feeling the benefits. I will keep you posted. Long may it last.