Headaches and dizzy for months now tinnitus

[Tnpmonkey]

I'm 42 Yr old male slightly overweight. In April I started getting tension type headaches and dizziness... So much I could hardly look down at my laptop on my desk. It went on for about a month and the the dizziness started dying down. Headaches feel like tightness across temple and rear of head.

I had the GP do the exercises to see if it was a loose crystal however I was not dizzy at all that day. It's never like vertigo it's like I have had a few pints and starting to get a bit tipsy. My speech is fine and eyesight and hearing tests done in August come back fine.

It's literally daily, no certain triggers, when I tip head back or forward I get a tiny sort of headache back of head or neck area.

MRI was done in August, copy below. I presume this was a full head as well as ears?

The ENT consultant said there is nothing clinically wrong and did balance tests etc.

The last two weeks I've had real bad headache in temple area and across back of head and dizziness again.

No sharp pain, no seeing bright objects, blood pressure is 144 over 82.

Im pushing for blood tests next... Tinnitus started August and none stop left ear.

Consultant thinks it's stress as I had family member die and wife diagnosed with cancer around this time. I do have anxiety sometimes but nothing bad.

Any ideas? My tinnitus started the day after the wife got her cancer news...

[Mat189]

Hello. I’m no expert but it may be that stress brought it on but you have very similar symptoms to me. I had them for 3 years and still do but I got relieve for a few months by going to an osteopath.

Look up Upper Cervical issues. It’s to do with your upper spine C1 and C2. Symptoms all made sense. Is it definitely what’s wrong with me? I’m still unsure but all ear and MRI scans came back ok. Bloods too. It’s flared up again so I have booked into a chiropractor this week.

Hope this may help.

[Jcol61]

Hi Tripmonkey, I have not been on here for awhile, but stress I feel can contribute I lost my husband very suddenly no warning 3 weeks after symptoms started.That was 2020 still have my symptoms still waiting for Ent.

[Hidden]

Hi Tnpmonkey

So sorry for your loss and your wife's illness.

And you too Jcol61 for the loss of your husband.

I have very similar symptoms. Headaches, vertigo which is more giddiness/disequilibrium rather than spinning. Like you, sudden head movements are disconcerting.

I've been to many ENT appointments. Had a clear MRI a few years back. Been told it is likely to be vestibular migraine. I think this could be correct as these 'attacks ' often come on with stress and I have some anxiety. I also have hearing loss and tinnitus and wear hearing aids.

At first ENT thought I had menieres disease, there are many overlapping symptoms with this and vestibular conditions. I've been advised to rest when necessary and I take cinnarzine tablets which help with the giddiness and nausea. Therefore I think stress is definitely a factor for me as I feel anxious before a new situation or meeting a new person.

Hope it improves for you soon. x

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Hi TNP Monkey

Thank you for sharing the MRI report - to a layperson, this appears to give you the all-clear in terms of your tinnitus not being caused by an acoustic neuroma (a benign tumour which can grow on or near the parts of the brain which help you to hear).

Your tinnitus being continual in one ear is probably the reason for the MRI being ordered and the normal nature of the results could suggest that this is one potential cause of your tinnitus which you might be able to discount.

Stress affects us in ways which are difficult to predict - I'll quote here from our guide to Tinnitus and Stress on the BTA website:

"Although it is not always clear whether stress causes the onset of tinnitus, or perhaps is a contributing factor, it is common for tinnitus to start at times of high stress or after a period of stress." (tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-an...

Some of the issues that you've described would certainly be considered stressful by a casual observer, so perhaps your consultant's assessment about anxiety or situational stress is worth exploring further.

[Popsic]

I was diagnosed with Vestibular migraines about a year ago, I have been waking up with headaches and going to sleep with them. Doc put me on amitriptyline 30mg a night, helps a little but doesn’t stop them. I am await an operation on my ear as I have no ear drum covering, so a new one will be made for me.. I am hoping this will help with the dizziness and headaches, but time will tell I guess.

[penelope2]

Hi just a small chance but I too started at the ENT department, several doctors later and one ear hypofunction diagnosed ( sounds like they don't really know??) But I too suffered with migraines and headaches for 20 years and now have tinnitus and slight hearing loss in one ear.To cut a long story short now I have now been diagnosed with gluten ataxia which effects balance and coordination, so it might be worth for you going gluten free for a short time to see how you feel.

Stress does make most health conditions worse, but for me it is probably a lifetime of eating gluten and migraines were just one of the symptoms.

What pushes the body over the edge???

Maybe stress, who knows.

Take care