Light headed - head pressures, pulsations, sinus effects - 4 months.

Maybe you should have an MRI of the upper neck/lower brain. It could possibly be a Chiari Malformation (as called Arnold-Chiari Malformation).

Did any of you find out what you have? I have all the exact same symptoms as SJM1973 and others. It's been going on over a year and have had a brain MRI, sinus CT, ENG & balance tests and so far no luck.I do have a diviated septum and sinus polyp, but the ENT said that shouldn't be causing my issues. I cannot go on like this for much longer as it's ruining my quality of life. Please help!

Hi everyone - like all of you I have been experiencing similar symptoms for awhile. I am a 48 year old female who up until a year and a half ago was a highly functioning management consultant, mother of 2 teenagers, active volunteer and President of a Board of Directors. On May 28th 2014 I woke up with vertigo and my world changed. Since then, I have literally had that lightheaded, dizzy, full-headed, stoned feeling - it is impossible to describe to people and I am so relieved when I see others describe it on posts such as these. I also have other symptoms that have developed that combined with the vertigo/dizziness have reduced my life from a very active and productive one to one where I can be out of bed or vertical for only 2-3 hours at a time. I have bouts of vertigo every 3 months or so. They have been lasting progressively longer - the last bout started Sept 15th and lasted 2 weeks. I had recurrent migraine headaches that seem to come in clusters (4-5 days of them). I tend to wake up with them in the morning and they last most of the day - they are blinding and 2 extra strength tylenol don't even help. I am really fatigued - I usually have a 4-5 hour nap during the day. And I have numbness in my face, arm/hand and foot on my right side. I also drop things all the time with my right hand.

When this all first started last May I thought it was going to pass pretty quickly. I saw my Family Doctor a couple weeks later and they thought it was BPPV - they gave me exercises to do and sent me home to rest. After a few weeks when the dizziness was still there, they gave me Serc to try to help with it - it didn't. I was off work for about 6 weeks and then took my annual holidays and then went back to work in the fall. I was able to manage a reduced work load for awhile but early in 2015 I had another episode of vertigo and I haven't been working since. Since then I have seen an ENT, been to a stroke prevention clinic, had a CT scan, 2 MRIs (head/neck and spine), loop monitor, holter monitor, had tons of blood tests for every autoimmune disease out there and Lyme disease, had balance tests, hearing tests and all have come back either normal or with no conclusive results. They did find a nasal polyp, cervical stenosis and a couple lesions (but not enough for a definite MS diagnosis). I am seeing a neurologist and she has put me on a migraine medication as she thinks I could have recurrent vestibulopathy (migraine related vertigo) although I am not sure how this relates to the numbness, and other symptoms that I have. We are trying this medication until early January.

I have been VERY frustrated with the doctors I have seen throughout this past year and a half - they have all focused on the one symptom of vertigo where that is the least of my problems to be honest - it is that full-headed, cotton-headed stoned feeling where I can't remember anything or even think. It is scary and debilitating. The worst thing is after having felt this way for a year, I started feeling depressed (big surprise) so my doctor put me on anti-depressants but once I showed improvement on them in terms of my mood I get the sense that he thinks my condition is all in my head - has anyone else gotten this impression for their doctors?

Hi everyone

Thought I'd post on this forum as it sounds a lot like what I've been going through lately.. Okay so 8 1/2 weeks ago I woke up feeling fine no cold or flu symptoms recently and then mid morning I suddenly felt a bit off and started loosing my balance and felt what I described as dizzy but later realised it was more lightheadedness. I was about 40 mins from home so stopped off at the mall to have something to eat and had a very strong sense as if I was going to pass out.. I didn't I made it home went straight to bed and to sleep but woke up still feeling faint and then started having pain in the right side of my face which felt sinus related..doctor thought it was a virus and prescribed antibiotics..8 1/2 weeks later I feel less lightheaded but still feel lightheaded and woozy constantly and some days have right sided headache and facial pain. Have seen ear nose and throat doctor said I have nasal congestion and had a blood test for allergies which came up negative and mri was negative full blood was normal. Should mention my right ear has also been blocked for 8 1/2 weeks my left ear blocks up and unblocked up every so often. I use a Neil mer Nasal rinse every morning and just spent $240 on the ear popper hoping it works.. My vision is also off like I can see everything but it's not clear clear or crisp and long distance reading is now hard. I'm 24 and feel too young to be going through this have had to leave my job and can barely leave the house get very lightheaded and tired and exhausted most of time is spent on couch. Help! Anyone have any idea how long this will last... Exhausted!

Not sure if this thread is still active. Never posted before really. I have suffered from chronic lightheadedness/fatigue etc. along with glaucoma and high eye pressures of 27 even after shunts in my eyes and eye drops 3 x a day. I am 41 and it started at 17. Won't go through the years of tests but 2 years ago tested CDC positive for Lyme Disease. Some symptoms such as hypoglycemia, fatigue etc. have subsided after 1 1/2 years of antibiotic treatment along with numerous herbals and vitamins/supplements.

Anyway, finally had a MRI done just this morning and they said brain looked good but had a frontal sinus cyst and would refer out to an ENT. I am PRAYING this is my answer now based on some of your information that it is what is causing my chronic lightheadedness/fogginess that hampers daily life and maybe even my high eye pressures that don't respond to eye shunts or meds!!!

Thanks for your posts, they help.

Thank u for sharing your symptoms - I know now I'm not alone! I have been feeling lightheaded, dizzy, unbalanced, disconnected, almost zombified, desperate to find answers. Docs thought I might have had a stroke but CT scan clear, bloods clear, all scans clear, they told me I had Vertigo!! So I took their tablets and nothing, no difference at all - but I have that clicking sound (someone here talked about it), pressure in my head, headaches, face ache...I really thought I was going mad.

So what is it? Has anyone on this forum been diagnosed with anything in particular? Sounds like it's sinus focused (makes sense, how come the docs don't pick it up?)

One person here mentioned it happened after a flight, mine started after a flight but has become much worse (unliveable) since an operation I had 10 days ago. Is there a link?

Please can someone tell me how I get relief from this? I'm going to buy antihistamines in the morning - is that the right place to start?

Hi Everyone,

I have been having very similar issues. I went though an episode back in August 2013 - so about 3 years ago where I was having terrible headaches, sinus pain, actually had blurred vision and constant light headedness. It got so bad that I ended up going to the ER and getting a CT Scan and bloodwork done. They did not find anything. I followed up with my primary physician who had me get a CT Scan of my sinuses which found nothing, more blood tests for lyme which did not show any issues. They said it was probably stress and anxiety which I can believe as I have a history with both.

Fast forward three years and I am having the same issues - tension headeaches all around my head, pressure behind eyes, sinus pressure, fatigue, brain fog, upper neck pain. I am seeing a naturopathic doctor now - just had my blood drawn earlier this week to see if he can help. I honestly told him when scheduling the appointment that I just feel like crap and am sick of it. I may also see a chiropractor as I have read it could be related to back issues. I have an appointment with my primary physician next week so I will see what she thinks of and my follow up with the naturopathic doctor the week after. I am just sick of feeling this way - I feel like I can't be a husband to my wife or a father to my daughter. I am depressed, anxious and just miserable.

Hi,

I'm new to the forum. I have been dealing with allergies, auto-immune problems, and sinus problems for a decade. But this year was terrible.

Recently (2015-2016) I have had a new kind of headache -- a recurring intense pressure in my eyes, nose and face, loud tinnitus and stabbing pain in one eye. It is often worse at night.

The headaches last for days on end. They are accompanied by a general extreme fatigue and feeling of sickness. I often have sinus congestion and then drainage. Sometimes I literally feel like I might lose consciousness, as Argal (on here) reported happened to them. A few times I have had to pull over while driving because I felt like I was going to black out. On two occasions I vomited after two days with the headaches.

In 2016, so far I spent one half of the days in every month this year with these headaches (according to my health diary) with the exception of August and September, which were better. I work as a technical writer. I have had to take time off from full-time work because of this. I am very worried because I am my only source of income.

I can totally empathize with all the headache/sinus/tinitus sufferers on here. Sometimes I wonder if we are all being exposed to something that is new in the environment that is making us sick in this manner.

My Lyme tests were not conclusive, but I have yet to have the more expensive detailed test they can take. An ENT ordered a CAT scan but I have been putting it off due to my other immune issues.

Best to all,

AB

Post Edited (Auspiciousbunny) : 11/17/2016 8:52:48 PM (GMT-7)

Hi. This is my first post. I’m am going through the exact same symptoms. I was 19 when they started. I was attending college. That’s was almost three months ago. I had to stop going to school and haven’t driven my car since. I’ve been to countless doctors, an ent, eye doctor etc. I’ve been on antibiotics, vertigo medication. nobody can tell me what is wrong. I’ve been told this is just stress and anxiety, but I know it’s not. I’m a scholar student and athlete. I would never want this for anyone. I don’t know what else to do. This constant pressure in the middle of my forehead and around my right eye that will not go away. Sometimes it feels like a pulsing wave of lightheaded ness. My ears feel full and sometimes feel painful. They also pop a lot on the right side and I am very sensitive to noises. It may seem strange, but I also have had constant post nasal drip. The ent said my hearing test was perfect and basically said I was lying that my ears are fine. I feel off balanced at times and the best way I can explain it is I feel like I’m wearing a football helmet like I don’t have complete clarity. It’s hard to explain. I’ve had a ct scan of my sinuses and all that was found was a slight curving of my nasal septum. I’ve had blood test done and nothing comes back wrong. I’ve had slight relief from massage therapy and acupuncture, but that is it. A few weeks before this happened I had my wisdom teeth removed and I was also exposed to mold for almost a year which was found in my car AC (not sure what type) which are the only things that I can think of that may be causing this. I am not making these symptoms up and I feel like giving up. It feels like the doctors only wanna jump to stress or anxiety. I just feel alone and don’t know what to do. I want to get back to my life, back to driving and attending on campus school. I’m trying to keep my faith strong, but this is the scariest thing I’ve ever faced.

Alec M said...
Hi everyone, happy to have found this forum! I'm 28 from Montreal, Canada.
It all started at the end of April 2012. I just woke up on a normal Saturday and felt some kind of a pressure all over my head, I got up and simply couldn't process what exactly what was going on. Had weird pulsations as well in the head. It just didn't feel like it was myself anymore. It felt like a very bad hangover. At first I thought that its due the 2 - 3 drinks I took the night before, so I decided to support it and resume my day with 2 Tylenols. A few hours in wasn't getting better and I was literally feeling that I'm about to pass out... I was in the house and twice within the hour I was sure I'm about to pass out, I run to my bed and lie down. Being in bed felt very good - symptoms weren't as present. The next day, same symptoms... I was basically a zombie. I seemed fine from the exterior but deep inside I wasn't really there. It's as if I was seeing life through a fish bowl, could literally stare at a wall for hours.... pulsations in the head, pressure around the head... around the eyes, sometime pressure around the nose.... I can honestly say that I wouldn't wish this to my worst enemy. I felt completely light headed and floating in a very weird way. I had very poor balance, couldn't stand for long periods of time...forget about driving a car or even being present in a car... couldn't even stand for very long or enter a retail store... I was going nuts. Actually while standing it was the worst.... I also sometime felt some pressure around the ears - as if I was taking taking off in a plane.... but the most unpleasant was having this pression in the head - mostly in the back of the head -... it felt like im floating... totally light headed... not totally present or myself. Awful feel. Feels like a migraine, sometime headache, sometime some sinus infection, sometime I can't even describe it. I know that after browsing the forums, it seems that allot of people had similar experiences for months...

I started having some panic attacks... let me tell you that Google searches didn't help much... it was just creating crazy anxiety. It tells you the worst of the worst.
I tried taking a glass of wine, I felt that it helped me a little... then I took a second one and perhaps it was mental but it's as if it froze the head pressure for a while...but not for long.... Once the alcohol effect left, it was the same - sometime worst.

I've decided to go see a general doctor about 2 weeks later, he diagnosed me with labyrinthitis - inner ear infection and prescribed me with an ANTI-VERTIGO drug that unfortunately didn't do anything at all. The symptoms kept on going and going - The doctor said that a Scan is not required and this type of virus can last for weeks - sometime 2 - 3 months.... just try to be patient and relax.. avoid stress... He apparently diagnosed quite a few cases similar to mine over the years.

I couldn't function for work... it was torture. It's not that it was hurting, it was as If I was living with a helmet on my head..a very heavy and tight one.... the worst was explaining to people what is wrong with you. You seem totally fine from the exterior.
WEEK 3 , WEEK 4... it wasn't getting better. Seen another doctor for a second opinion.... same diagnosis..probably labyrinthitis and a scan is not required... they told me to relax.... I was going nuts! pulsations, head pressure always present. Felt like passing out very often.. scary.
The worst is not really knowing what is going on with you... and reading GOOGLE searches about a possible tumor, etc...
WEEK 5 - Started to have better days once in a while... some gave me hope that I'm actually getting better.... but pulsations, head pressures still very much present - Felt like a zombie still... feeling that I will faint still present.. especially when entering big stores or standing up for long period of times.

WEEK 6- started to feel better... became positive. However after a little celebration and a few drinks one night, the next day I had a complete come back. Let me tell you that this specific day was probably one of the worst of my life.... I had a panic attack anxiety and started thinking that this curse would never go away.... I decided to stay away from any alcohol. It's as if everything came back to DAY 1.

WEEK 7 - Same feeling - real torture - Everything came back. No more alcohol for me after.
WEEK 8 - started to feel slightly better. however symptoms still present, just not as bad.
WEEK 9 - started having better days for longer periods... but some were as bad... very random.
WEEK 10 - some days I almost felt cured, some it was coming back out of nowhere for no special reason.
Still the same symptoms pretty much just a lighter level most of the time.

WEEK 11 - WEEK 12 - It slowly started feeling better with good days lasting for a few days. little head pression - pulsations present most of days but nothing compared to what I had to suffer weeks ago.
It was indeed going better.

WEEK 13 - I almost felt cured... most of the days I was fine, however it did happen sometime that I felt little symptoms... but the level was insignificant. I was sure its coming to an over.. my life started being normal again... work, friends, etc.
WEEK 14 UNTIL TODAY AUGUST 30TH (today) .. The head pressure came back a little for the past few days, not as bad as the first weeks but not as good as the last week- I do feel little pulsations around the head sometime as well. My eyes feel swollen, sometime I feel some pressure around the nose - a nasal thing I guess. I do usually suffer from allergies around that season (ragweed) perhaps this doesn't help as well and triggers even more.... but thank god that I DON'T feel like passing out as much.... from a scale from 1 to 10 I would say I'm at 7.5 today compared to 1/10 on the first 3 weeks.
Definitely not fully recovered, but feeling better. Its hard to cope these last few days with that pression in the head, very uncomfortable... I just can't seem to concentrate as this is over taking allot of my energy... the pulsations happen time to time as well in the back of the head... but again, nothing compared to the level of the first weeks. It's almost the fourth month....

I remember that about one or two years ago I had a similar experience that lasted for almost a week... I felt pretty much like a zombie with weird pression in the head...but didn't experience the effects going as far as thinking that i'm going to pass out. After these few days / a week of this past experience it just disappeared and life resumed.
I'm planning to go see a doctor in the next 2 weeks to follow up, but I do feel better...but it could be even better if it goes away. I want my life back.
Anybody has had or is having anything similar?

Alec M,

you are almost telling my story, but without the repetition of the story , it all started after Thursday 12-4-2018 with alcohol at night and from Friday i am feeling EXACTLY what you described, can you please help and tell me what you discovered because doctors are not helping me at all ??
please waiting your reply