Light headed?

Question

I've had a couple of episodes where the room is spinning (just like bed spins) when I open my eyes in the morning but before I sit up. It becomes a slight dizziness or light headedness after I sit up. I had a really bad episode of spinning that caused me to vomit all day. My doctor said it was Labrynthitis (sp?) which is a temporary inner ear disease and gave me an antibiotic. It went away after a few days. But it has been a couple of days since I finished the antibiotic and I am light headed A LOT. I especially feel it if I change my focus: for instance looking from the keyboard to the computer screen. I noticed that I anm making more typing errors than usual too. I have a mild headache around my eyes and cheek bones. I obviously need to go to the doctor again but should I see some kind of specialist? What type of specialist? I am 44y/o and do not drink/drugs.

It is worse when I sit still, better when I am moving. WEIRD!

Answer 1

Well it could be many things. It could be vertigo, the inner ear problem...I had that and I thought I was dying. But it could also be sinuses, an infection, your eyesight. But I still tend to lean towards vertigo because that is exactly how I felt and I would turn over in bed and it felt like the whole room would spin...like I was drunk and hungover. I really thought I had something terrible. But the doc said my ears were plugged, flushed them and days later I was fine.

Go see an eye/ear/nose specialist and see what they think.

Rule out anemia or anything wrong with your blood too, and get your eyes checked.

Do you ahve allergies? Make your own saline (1/4 tspn / litre of water) and inhale a handful up into your sinuses. Do this several times a day for 3 days. It will clean up your sinuses, and maybe try ear drops (Polysporin) for several days too and see if that helps your ears any. It can't hurt that's for sure.

Dont use saline in the stores it has preservatives in it which is bad.

Answer 2

I would say you have vertigo, but I am not your doc. Make your appointment, and ask him/her about vertigo. It is common.

Vertigo occurs when there is conflict between the signals sent to the brain by various balance- and position-sensing systems of the body. Your brain uses input from four sensory systems to maintain your sense of balance and orientation to your surroundings.

Vision provides information about your position and motion in relationship to the rest of the world. This is an important part of the balance mechanism and often overrides information from the other balance-sensing systems.
Sensory nerves in your joints allow your brain to keep track of the position of your legs, arms, and torso. Your body is then automatically able to make tiny changes in posture that help you maintain your balance (proprioception).
Skin pressure sensation provides information about your body's position and motion in relationship to gravity.
A portion of the inner ear, called the labyrinth, which includes the semicircular canals, contains specialized cells that detect motion and changes in position. Injury to or diseases of the inner ear can send false signals to the brain indicating that the balance mechanism of the inner ear (labyrinth) detects motion. If these false signals conflict with signals from the other balance and positioning centers of the body, vertigo may occur.
Common causes of vertigo include:

Inner ear disorders, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Ménière's disease, vestibular neuronitis, or labyrinthitis.
Injury to the ear or head.
Migraine headaches, which are painful, debilitating headaches that often occur with vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smell.
Decreased blood flow through the arteries that supply blood to the base of the brain (vertebrobasilar insufficiency).
Less common causes of vertigo include:

A noncancerous growth in the space behind the eardrum (cholesteatoma).
Brain tumors and cancer that has traveled from another part of the body (metastatic).
Immediate medical attention is required if vertigo occurs suddenly with loss of function. Vertigo that occurs with loss of function in one area of the body can indicate a problem within the brain, such as a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Alcohol and many prescription and nonprescription medications can cause lightheadedness or vertigo. These problems may develop from:

Taking too much of a medication (overmedication).
Alcohol and medication interactions. This is a problem, especially for older adults, who may take many medications at the same time.
Misusing or abusing a medication or alcohol.
Drug intoxication or the effects of withdrawal.
Although dizziness can occur in people of any age, it is more common among older adults. A fear of dizziness can cause older adults to limit their physical and social activities. Dizziness can also lead to falls and other injuries.

Answer 3

I will have to agree with the nurse above... my mother has the exact same problem, she is 58 years old and our family doctor told her it was Vertigo, that she has a problem with her equilibrium.The medication she is on is called "SERC 24MG" actual name is "BETAHISTINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE" My mother said it is the best medication for this problem, and that it works really well (for her.) Talk to your doctor about it!! Hope my info helps you!! Take care and good luck!!