Heaviness and loss of balance?

[Unregistered]

I've been having problems with heaviness in my head an loss of balance for awhile now and my doctors not sure what's causing it.

It started in March with just feeling a bit shaky. I thought I must be coming down with something and felt heaviness in my head. I didn't think much of it and it went away after 3 days so I was just glad I hadn't actually gotten sick.

It came back a few more times and again I just put it down to "I must be coming down with something". I felt fine besides that.

It came back in may and it was worse. Before it had just been a feeling of unsteadiness But this time it stated with a feeling like a weight in the back of head that was throwing me off balance. Even when I was sitting I could feel it.

I thought right away it must be my ears so I went to a drop in centre and they looked and said my ears where fine. I had no temperature (I never did either) or any pain in my ears. They said there was no inflammation or irritation in them or my throat or sinuses, and my ears didn't need syringing or anything. My hearing was fine. They suggested that I go to my regular doctor.

It went away about 5 days after that. when it came back I had a headache aswell so I thought it must be eye strain cause i got new galsses a year ago and I figured if the prescription isnt quite right that might be the cause. I got my eyes and checked and they're fine and so are my glasses.

At this point the feeling of heaviness in the back of my head was so bad that I was having trouble holding my head up. My dad suggested that it was my neck, may be I'd pinched a nerve or something.

I went to the doctor and at first she said it must be my ears but they look fine. She suggested it could be a virus affecting my ears. She did l alot of tests getting me to turn my head this way and that, stand up and sit etc. She said she doesn't think it is my ears since it doesn't get worse on turning my head like you'd expect with vertigo. I can shake my head and it doesn't feel worse or make me dizzy. It also doesn't change going from sitting/ lying to standing. She checked out my neck but I have no pain or numbness anywhere in my neck or along my spine (or anywhere).

She also did a load of blood tests for vitamin deficiency, thyroid etc. They all came back normal.

She sent me away with antibiotics incase I was developing an infection and told me to come back in a month.

I thought maybe Im stressed without really knowing it so I went down stay with my mam for the month but I still got it even there.

It'll go for a day or two but it always comes back.

I went back to the doctor and I was getting headaches too and she said maybe its just migraines but the headaches aren't severe enough to be migraines and I have no sensitivity to light at all. She told me to come back if it got worse.

It has gotten worse and when I went to her on Monday she referred me to a consultant but my appointment isn't until August next year, I wont be able to get a quicker appointment unless I have more serious symptoms.

Right now I still have the heavy feeling in the back of my head. If I try and hold my head up straight it starts to fall backwards. Or I try to lean forwards but then I start to sway backwards and forward until I have to stick my leg back to keep my balance. I've had people comment that I look drunk (which upsets me since I don't drink at all)

When I'm standing I have a feeling like Im being pulled backwards. If I don't stand with one leg extended back to balance myself I will actually fall flat on my back.

Even when I sitting I find it difficult to lean forwards and end up falling backward into the seat.

I still feel the weight when I'm lying down.

Its really starting to bother to me especially since yesterday I nearly feel down an escalator. I have to hold on going up stairs so I don't fall backwards, but I let go to answer my phone and right away I pitched backwards and if there hadn't been some to behind me I probably would of cracked my head open. Also I live I'm sick of people looking at me like I must be drunk or high because I swaying and nearly falling over the whole time.


What could it be?

It has to be something to do with my ears or my neck?

[Unregistered]

Nobody has any ideas/ similar problems?

I had my hearing tested today and its perfect, apparently there's nothing wrong with my ears so it has to be something else.

I really want to know what to do about it, I'm getting tired of people looking at like I'm drunk and I'm getting a bit worried that it won't go before school starts back.

[Unregistered]

I could relate to what you are expiriencing. I suffered what the dr."s are calling a MILD CONTUSION" to the top back portion of my head Yesterday Morning. I was hit by a 35 pound box on the head with the rest of a 6ft tall pallet stacked of similar freight hitting the back of my neck and Back. I expirirenced the heaviness and unbablance yesterday after the occurance, It was alot worst after i woke up from a 3 hour nap and i went to ER...They did a CT scan and said everything was ok and I was released. The Dr. never explained what the cause was- but it just doesn't feel right. I feel a bit spaced out -Have you been hit on or over the head or neck area to possibly have set this feeling off?

[Unregistered]

No I haven't hit my head.
They did ask me that sort of thing though, also had I passed out or become suddenly very nauseas or had blurry vision.

I haven't had anything like that. I was actually just sitting talking to a friend when I first felt the heaviness in my head.

I haven't had the heaviness for a few days now, but I still have the imbalance.

Also I'm sort of getting used to the sensation of being pulled backwards, at least I don't notice it as much anymore. Thats not a good thing though because I'll be standing and I'll start to lean back without even noticing I'm doing it. I went into a chemist yesterday and the pharmacist thought I was there for needle exchange because of way I'm swaying.

I went back to the doctor and she advised me to try and keep my mind of it because focusing on it could make it worse. Its good advice but I really just want it to go away. When I asked her what she thinks is wrong she says it could be "a number of things" and "not necessarily serious", which is basically doctor speak for "I have no idea" or "if its bad news the consultant can tell you".

I hope your feeling better know.

[Unregistered]

hi...

Yes i am Going thru exactly the same thing what u have described.
Feeling heaviness at back of my head and causes an imablance even if i am just standing and talking to someone or even sitting and watching TV.

Well i have been to a ENT speacialist and and he did all examinations for Ear nose and throat.

All came out normal.

But to my surprise and my horror he told me to get an MRI of the brain.
Which is liking killing day by day thinking what has really happend to me. I have two small kids and The DR thinks thier might be some bleeding in the brain due to preganancy.

I am very very scared and honestly dont know what to think...

Just waiting for my MRI and please pray it comes out all normal.

[Unregistered]

Wow I hope everything turns out normal with your MRI.

I too have been having balance and dizziness problems lately but I'm pretty sure it's becaue of a lot of TMJ (jaw) issues I've been having over the past few months. That in itself causes dizziness because the jaw joint is located so close to the ear canal, but since Christmas my balance has been way worse whereas it had been getting much better prior to that. I'm pretty sure it's because stress due to my TMJ has caused my neck and shoulders and back to cramp and seize up on me. It's very painful and I can feel the pressure in the back of my neck and whenever I move it my balance goes. It's like my hips and legs just give up and start to fall over. I hate it but there's not much I can do until my neck issues clear up. I'm doing physio, massage therapy and will see a chiroractor on Monday as well. I'm a little scard of that one but I'm willing to try anything.

To the original poster, have you tried any naturopathic or homeopathic approaches? It may be too new agey for you, but I think a non-traditional approach sometimes works wonders. I'm going to my first Reiki appointment on Jan. 12th because I've heard really good things about Reiki practitioners being able to get to the root cause of problems and clearing up energies and eliminating physical symptoms. It's worth a try if traditional medicine has let you down so far. I'll post after my appointment to say how things went.

Good luck to everyone.

[Unregistered]

Crikey!...

MRI scans, CT scans, ears, noses, thyroids?????

I've had these same said symptoms for the past three days now and they don't seem to be getting any better; I've also had them in the past but they've been quite mild in comparison and they've passed relatively quickly.
The heaviness for me is mainly at the front of my head but this does tend to move about; its almost like I have a weight inside my head. I'm also feeling very wobbly and would liken this to being drunk but I haven't drank in months, and whilst I find it hard to sleep at night anyway (and generally wake every hour or so), I am finding that I'm sleeping for longer periods (whether during the day or the night) and that the heaviness seems to be at its worse on first waking - I just don't feel right at all.
What is strange is that on visiting various websites for answers, these symptoms seem to have started for most people around the same time, and that this seems to have become more common over time - yet no one seems to know why, or what is causing this problem?!
I'm hoping that someone will get an answer soon because all sorts of things are going through my head at the moment, and its no fun when you have these symptoms and when you don't know why or what you can do to stop this from happening.
(and believe me, it's been hard work just to try and write this at the moment!)

[johnnyy]

Had the same symptoms as you guys and it started when an Earthquake occurred and the feeling of tremors didn't went away and progressed as the days passed where I experienced heavyness on the back of my neck and head, tiredness, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, depression and felt that I'm about to pass out.

Went to the emergency section they checked me in but The Neurologist did a CT-scan, found nothing thought that I was just acting and discharged me after a day said that I'm not really sick.

Checked in another hospital where an ENT Specialist gave me some High level antibiotics and steroids but they didn't help and they an MRI of my head and found nothing.

Then I found this information about Mal de debarquement Syndrome yesterday.

http://www.mddsfoundation.org/

I'm just glad to know what I have even though there is no cure for it yet. But it is indicated that being active lessens the symptoms. Hope this helps

[Unregistered]

I have the same symptoms you are having and have been for two months. I had them in the past but the symptoms never lasted this long or were as severe. Tomorrow I am having a tilt table test (eng) done. This is horrible and annoying and is affecting my life in many ways...work, driving, housework, gardening, and the worst is holding my little baby grandson.

It sounds as if we aren't the only ones out here suffering. I hope someone catches on soon and helps us all out.

[Unregistered]

Have you had your sinus's checked. Wen mine get filled up I have the same problem and when it drains down it upsets my stomach.