Frequently falling face down

[Rach7412]

Hi everyone,

I'm a woman in early-40s and trying to figure out my symptoms. Surfing for my symptoms got me on this site, though I don't know if this is a correct forum for me. Please help if you can.

I'm otherwise healthy and active working person, with no known medical condition. However, I have fallen down 8 times over last one year. Every time I fall, the impact is on lips/jaws & I end up with dislocated jaw, broken tooth &/or stitched up lips. There are no other symptoms of black-out at the time of fall or any any other loss of balance or shaking in my routine.

Most falls seem to have been caused by the smallest tripping followed up with my inability to balance myself or to break my fall. No hands shield my fall, no other leg comes forward, the face/head doesn't move away & I just fall ram-rod.

With the severity of my injuries, I'm becoming scared to move out at all. Consultations with GP & Neuro have not resulted in any diagnosis as there are no other symptoms.

Does this look familiar to anyone here? Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your feedback.

[am2015]

I'm sorry that you are having to search for a diagnosis yourself. PSP sufferers tend to fall backwards, this is a classic symptom. Have you had an assessment at the balance clinic, as it maybe a inner ear problem. My mum was initially assessed by a balance clinic, it took 4 years to get a formal diagnosis, by which stage the symptoms of PSP were more evident. I hope you find the answers you're looking for.

[Rach7412 in reply to am2015]

Thanks for sharing your insights. I'm always falling forwards & still trying to work it out.

[doglington]

my husband could fall in any direction , just as you describe. but he also had other symptoms, eye problems, confusion , voice. hope you find an answer.

jean

[Rach7412 in reply to doglington]

Hi jean, thanks for your concern.

[Lee2584 in reply to doglington]

Hi - just curious. What do you mean by "voice"? Thx

[doglington in reply to Lee2584]

he had changes to his voice. became weaker and coughed a lot. writing became very small.

[Lee2584 in reply to doglington]

My husband's voice has become very deep and gravely. Coughs, clears throat a lot. Thanks for your reply.

[easterncedar]

My guy fell in all directions, but mostly backwards, and eventually learned to sag rather than plank and avoided, sometimes, the worst effects, although it was still awful enough. I really sympathize with your problem; it must be terrifying. I wonder if a physical therapist might be able to help you improve your balance, and perhaps learn to fall less dangerously, pending a proper diagnosis. Best wishes, ec

[Rach7412 in reply to easterncedar]

I don't seem to have any obvious balance problem, but will try to judge this more consciously now. Bu indeed, learning to fall 'better' can definitely be useful and confidence-boosting

[Hidden]

When dad first started having falls one thing that was checked was no sudden blood pressure drop. I think they called it a stoic black out, been a few years and not 100% sure on the medical term.

Ron

[Fer39wer47da]

Well, I started to fall, about 4 years ago. I had initially been diagnosed with parkiinsin's, due to illiterate handwriting, ,impossible to read and stiffness.

Then The falls started , mostly forward, but sometimes backwards and sideways. If I look back at the Photos with my Bruised face, i can't believe it actually happened .

So i would certainly see a doctor / specialist, because even if they say that PSP patients are more likely to fall backwards, i am the living example of à PSP patient who falls mostly forward with an average of 4 falls per day.

Wishing you all the best,

Anne baer

[Rach7412 in reply to Fer39wer47da]

Hi Anne, Thanks for sharing your perspective. Hopefully I'll figure this out soon enough and share my version here.

[Iansgadan]

Does one of your legs freeze just before U fall

[Rach7412 in reply to Iansgadan]

Hi, no freezing seems to happen in any visible manner. Most often, I seem to have fallen by tripping on slightest cracks in the ground - something like the gaps between tiles. And never able to regain balance or break my fall.

At other times, it's happened by slipping on the steps upward (once), tripping against a very small obstruction on the ground (once), generally tripping on a flat surface (once), & missing a small step downward (once).

So everytime, there seems to have been a small reason for loosing my balance, but I've always fallen face down with full body force. It could be that there's been a momentary freezing at these times, but it has never come to my awareness.

[easterncedar in reply to Rach7412]

For a while my guy's falling was attributed to a weakness in his right leg or, also for a while, "foot-drop", meaning his toes tended to drag. He also seemed to trip on the smallest things. A brace was ordered and tried, but although his leg was indeed weak and his foot did drag it was more a weakness that ran from his lower back and hip, and the brace was only an annoyance. PT did help for a time. If you can motivate yourself to do any sort of regular exercise, I strongly encourage you to do it - install a bar and do weight-shifting routines, or hold onto very sturdy furniture. The LSVT Big program, designed for folks with Parkinson's, was brilliant for my guy even though we started it later than we should have and had trouble maintaining it. It helped keep him walking much longer than would otherwise have been the case.

I do wish you luck, Rach. The falling is dangerous. Ec

[Rach7412 in reply to easterncedar]

Hi EC,

Yes, I'd love to be active. In fact, I'm used to brisk walking for 90 mins everyday, apart from 20 mins of balancing exercises.

I'll need to figure out a different routine, but it'll be worth it.

Thanks

[easterncedar in reply to Rach7412]

That's the ticket. You are doing well. My guy was used to being active, but not used to exercise, so it was harder for him to keep it up. I loved going to the PT with him, though, it always felt like progress. Peace, ec

[Iansgadan in reply to Rach7412]

You could be suffering ftrom M SA something similar to psp It would be in your best interest to go and see your GP best of luck with your diagnosis

[Iansgadan in reply to Rach7412]

I put ur reply in the next one down sorry about that rach

[Rach7412 in reply to Iansgadan]

Hi lansgadan,

Take note of your inputs and discuss them with my doctor next time.

Thanks

[Marie_14]

Rach

Check out the MSA site. It could well be the start of that. They have a site on Healthunlocked now. Also check MSA Trustees site. There you will get the symptoms of MSA and there is a telephone number you can ring. They are very good.

I really do recommend you ask your doctor to refer you to a neurologist or if you can pay for it yourself check out a decent one online. It is very important you are checked out as what is happening to you is very dangerous.

Marie x

[Rach7412 in reply to Marie_14]

Hi Marie,

I did check out MSA site, but still not sure. I'll again visit my GP and also consult another Neuro.

It's indeed frightening.

Thanks for your time.

[bel-green31]

I have been diagnosed with PSP and I always fall forward my neurologist tells me that it is normal for the condition my falls come ' out of the blue' I never trip over anything my feet just freeze as though I have Velcro on my shoes . I feel for you I too am scared to leave the house even to go into the garden

[Rach7412 in reply to bel-green31]

Hi Bel,

Thanks for sharing. Did you have any other symptoms?

In my case, there's complete lack of any other indicator, so even doctors are struggling.

Cheers

[bel-green31 in reply to Rach7412]

No other notable symptons I was first told it was Parkinsons 5or 6 years ago but failed to respond to treatment at the advice of my parkinsons nurse I requested a consultation with a professor who took one look at me & said it was obviously NOT parkinsons but quite definately PSP the relief in knowing exactly what was wrong was wonderful even though the prognosis is not good.I do hope that you can get some help GPs & Neurologists don't have all the answers

[Rach7412]

Hi all,

Thanks for all your valuable suggestions as I try to figure this out. I'm 43 years old and would like to get a handle on this as quickly as possible, even though the prognosis may not be comforting.

Meanwhile, it'll be good to learn of any techniques that can help me fall less dangerously. As mentioned earlier, I always take the full impact of my fall on chin/lips/jaw since I fall absolutely ram-rod straight. It would be comical only if it wasn't so dangerous.

Glad to hear any feedback.

Thanks again.

[JAM11]

Hi Rach, I fell flat on my face on concrete last week. It's the 2nd time in 4 years. I do have a little Drop Foot from a previous leg fracture with hardware. I trip over nothing. I've been fortunate not to have any facial fractures but the emotional scarring has caused PTSD. Terrified to walk on concrete. A Physical therapist friend suggested I start a mantra " heel toe heel toe..." as i walk. It causes me to raise my knee slightly more for the action. I turn 60 next month but my brain doesn't know that. Where all other reasoning is defied, Maybe simply forming new habits will stop us from face planting. I wish you the best.

[Rach7412]

Hi Jam11, thanks for sharing your insight. Yes, forming a new habit and a different gait may help. Let me try to put some conscious effort into this and see how it goes.

. Thanks again