osteopath

[Mat189]

Hope. I’ve been on here before. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, vertigo/dizziness, top of head tight and of course tinnitus.

I’ve been to two ENT specialists, dentist to check TMJ and audiologists. All couldn’t find anything wrong.

A friend referred me to a osteopath. Never heard of them before. We had a great Zoom call. Told me that he really thinks all symptoms are related to C1 C2 in my spine. I’ve an appointment next month. I’ve googled it and the symptoms of Cervical vertigo seems to be very similar.

The hope has even reduced my symptoms but if this doesn’t help me I’ve nothing else to try.

Has anyone else tried this? Maybe I’m different to many of you who only have T. My nausea and motion sickness can last all day, everyday.

[Happyrosie]

Osteopathy can certainly do surprising things! In my case tingling fingers caused by cervical spine probs. And the first osteopath I saw, many years ago, treated infertile ladies with some benefit!! Certainly won’t harm you and might indeed help!

[Mat189 in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks. Good to hear. Don’t want my hope dashed 😀

[bridgeit]

Hi Mat. Before you go down the osteopath route, based on my own experience (not medical expertise which I don't possess) and your symptoms I suggest that you seek a referral from your GP to a good neurosurgeon (not a neurologist) and ask them, specifically, whether or not you could have cranial blood flow and/or intracranial pressure problems. I think it is a wise move to have cranial/cervical blood flow anomalies ruled out before going down any manipulative therapy route, particularly osteopathy. Personally, I'd prefer a referral to a musculoskeletal clinic from a GP or to see a physiotherapist privately. There is a difference between physiotherapy and osteopathy.A physiotherapist is well qualified to address cervical musculoskeletal issues without adding to any underlying blood flow problems that might exist. A neurosurgeon can order a scan that can rule out cranial/cervical blood flow issues that could result in symptoms such as you describe.

I realize that this post is not exactly reassuring for you, but the extra effort of chasing a referral to a neurosurgeon to have the nasties ruled out before your skeletal system is pulled around too much might be well worth the trouble. You may have to push quite firmly to get a referral to a neurosurgeon; shove hard.

Good luck, and take great care with whatever move you make!

[Mat189 in reply to bridgeit]

Thanks for that. I have been referred but even going private has a 9 month waiting list. You seem to have a lot of knowledge. Thanks. The osteopath said after he looks at me he can refer me. Thanks for you reply.

[ViHayhurst in reply to bridgeit]

Totally agree with you. Vascular/ Cervical issues must be ruled out before any Osteopathic Manipulations are done. In the States, the D.O. is as qualified as is the M.D. In performing manipulations on my neck for pulsatile tinnitus, I learned that my most recent D.O. could have dissected a carotid artery since I was subsequently diagnosed with Fibromuscular Dysplasia.

[bridgeit in reply to ViHayhurst]

Hi Vi, yep, the risk of dissection is why my neurosurgeon went slightly pale when he heard that I'd seen an osteopath before getting the vascular issues checked out. Apparently, it happens more often than is reported.

[TurboTrace]

Hi. I've had a little osteopathy on my neck. It didn't relieve the T symptoms sadly.Ironically my ENT specialist said to avoid osteopathy as there's no need to crick the neck. He recommended physio; I'm having my first session on Friday ☺

[VanGoghsEar]

Hi Mat189 certainly I recognise all of your symptoms in myself. After being diagnosed with Ménière's I was referred to a neurologist specifically for the headaches; I'd had all the scans CT and MRI ruling out any other issues. My neurologist put me on nortriptyline and recommended I be sent to MSK clinic. For the past few weeks the physio has given me neck exercises to do twice a day. Including an exercise for my eyes as scanning moving pages on tv/iPhone caused nausea, was a trigger for my dizziness. Now, for some time I've been meaning to post the results of these exercises on the forum, but didn't want to jump the gun before I was sure. I can tell you the results are brilliant. I'm not over it 100%, and I need to be more disciplined in doing my exercises regularly, but that's down to me. I know when I do the neck and eye exercises my physio has given me I get results. For example, for a long time I couldn't wear a certain pair of glasses as they were a new prescription: sorted. I couldn't wear my hearing aid, hyperacusis bringing on headaches: sorted. Not, as I said 100%, if my hearing aid is too loud/wrong frequency I get symptoms. I still get neckache but I'm sure the more I do the exercises my physiotherapist has given me the better I'm will be. I go back in two or three weeks to be signed off. I started about 6 weeks or so ago. I couldn't be happier. It has even reduced my tinnitus, though I still get bad days at the moment. One other thing as a cautionary tale. Many years ago I had a bad back, have done all my life. I was paying a chiropractor a lot of money for a lot of sessions. Now I'm not denigrating chiropracty, I'm sure it's useful. But in the end an MRI scan found a collapsed disc and a piece of the prolapsed disc was pressed against my sciatic nerve. I had to have surgery and a discectomy sorted that out. Sorry for being so long winded, hope you get sorted, I really do.

A

[Mat189 in reply to VanGoghsEar]

Thanks for the reply. Very interesting. Do you think nortriptyline has helped or it’s the exercises?

It’s good to know you can relate to my symptoms as they have been with me badly for the last few years. Grinding me down!

Is it possible to copy and paste the eye exercises? Maybe better to be shown them and too difficult to write?

It’s definitely something to do with me as when I’m out in large areas like supermarkets I seem to zone out or get foggy.

[VanGoghsEar in reply to Mat189]

Hi Mat, firstly, I should have made clearer, the nortriptyline I was on was the max dose 50mg. It's not a nice drug with side effects that made my life a misery. As I've continued with the exercises I've been reducing my dosage and am on 30mg at present. As for the exercises themselves you'd really need a qualified physiotherapist to check you out first. The eye one's my physio added on when I mentioned the problems I had with motion. I don't think it would do any harm to tell you that one; simply hold your fist at arms length, with your thumb up. Move your arm slowly left to right and without moving your head keep your eyes focused on your thumb. Do this for 30 seconds as fast or as slowly as your able without getting dizzy. Do twice a day. Though, to be honest, if I was sat doing nothing I'd just do it. As for the stretches I couldn't pass them on because I'm not qualified. Ask your GP about MSK referral. The first thing my physio said at my assessment was that headaches, dizziness etc can be neck related. Mine certainly seem to have been.

Good luck 👍

A

[Mat189 in reply to VanGoghsEar]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Good information. My appointment is July so crossing my fingers. I’ll also try the eye exercise.

[VanGoghsEar in reply to Mat189]

All the best, I hope you are better soon. 👍

A

[Happyrosie in reply to VanGoghsEar]

Are these exercises you get from the Brain & Spine Foundation - vestibular rehabilitation exercises? They are very good for vertigo.

[VanGoghsEar in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi, no I'm afraid not. I've not heard of the Brain & Spine Foundation. But as I said I am diagnosed with Ménière's and have had a lot of vertigo attacks. All I can do is speak from personal experience and in my case as well as the dizziness, nausea, fullness/deafness in (one) ear, I was getting crushing migraines, the hyperacusis along with photophobia and other triggers were making life unbearable. After I'd been on nortriptyline a while I got these physio exercises to do through my GP on the NHS, and they have as a whole contributed exponentially to my improvement. So, they've been good for my vertigo, but so has meditation and standing on one leg. But I couldn't say it would be good for everyone's vertigo. I am months now since a prolonged vertigo attack. And once more living life not in fear of being ill on holiday this year, as I was last year!

I hope this helps Happyrosie

Stay strong

A

[Happyrosie in reply to VanGoghsEar]

When I had vertigo the doc gave me a sheet from the B&S Foundation - but I expect they are the same as yours, Anyway, they are good for training the brain to accept your eyes and not your ears!

[Jh59]

Hi Mat189,I am not medically trained and can only relate my own experiences. I have seen many Osteopath and chiropractors over the years for various aches and pains - NOT tinnitus!Some are just "crack here, crack there, 10minutes and hand out for money please" type. Stay clear of these. The appointment should be at least 30minutes with the initial appointment longer.

I had bad constant headaches for a long time that a combination of neck and cranial osteo. helped.

One Osteopath manipulated my jaw as I did grind my teeth and never seem to relax the jaw - this may be the TMJ that some talk about here.

Osteopathy does not directly treat tinnitus, appears nothing does, but I feel it can help in the reduction of internal tension, stress, anxiety which seem to be prevalent with tinnitus.

I find osteopathy helps me to relax, give it a try and hopefully you find an practitioner who is open to try different techniques for you particular issues rather than stuck with one or two manoeuvres.

Some I have seen do acupuncture as well.

All the best.

John

[Mat189 in reply to Jh59]

Thanks for reply John. This osteopath is very well qualified and known. The appointment is for 1hr. To be honest I can live with my T. Yes it does get loud on occasions but my main daily grind is nausea like motion sickness, headaches, tiredness. I just hate moving my head too quickly. In the Zoom call I had with him he said the same as you. It was not directly help with the T but may reduce it due to my other symptoms.

[Mat189]

Thanks for all the comments. I’ll look into MSK. I have found this site to be more helpful than any doctor I have seen!Take care everyone