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What Causes Constant Spinning Sensation In The Head, Nausea And Headaches?
Question: My husband has been having a spinning sensation for about 2 months now. He wakes up at night in a cold sweat, stomach ache, and bad headache about 4 out of 7 nights. He has a constant pain in his neck right at the base of his skull. He has the spinning sensation during the day as well and it makes him sick at his stomach and loses his appetite. He has been to his doctor and all of his blood test are normal. When these spinning sensations happen during the night he has panic attacks. Even the slightest head movement can trigger the spinning sensations which trigger nausea and headaches. He has been treated for sinus infections 3 times this year and 3 weeks ago had sinus balloon procedure to open up his sinuses. The symptoms have not improved with antibiotics, steroids or balloon procedure. What is the next step?
Brief Answer:
vertigo most commonly due to inner ear conditions
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
The spinning sensation or vertigo can be very disturbing.
Vertigo is most commonly related to the inner ear though there are other causes as well.
The inner ear causes are : (1) vestibular neuronitis- this is the most common cause
(2)BPPV- benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, changes of position bring on the sensation
(3)meniere's disease
He may want to consider seeing a neurologist or ENT doctor for assessment.Blood tests would be normal in all of these conditions.
If he is already seeing an ENT doctor then he should consider trying a neurologist.
He may need imaging of the brain to rule out more serious causes. This would in the form of a CT or MRI
Careful examination of the neuro- otologic (ear) system, is needed.
Treatment would depend slightly on the cause but would generally consist of : (1) anti emetics- medication for nausea eg dramamine
(2)vestibular suppressants eg valium, phenergan, dramamine also helps here , antivert
(3) a short course of oral steroids may be needed in vestibular neuronitis
(4)for BPPV- certain maneuvers such as the epley maneuver, semont maneuver can help
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
vertigo most commonly due to inner ear conditions
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
The spinning sensation or vertigo can be very disturbing.
Vertigo is most commonly related to the inner ear though there are other causes as well.
The inner ear causes are : (1) vestibular neuronitis- this is the most common cause
(2)BPPV- benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, changes of position bring on the sensation
(3)meniere's disease
He may want to consider seeing a neurologist or ENT doctor for assessment.Blood tests would be normal in all of these conditions.
If he is already seeing an ENT doctor then he should consider trying a neurologist.
He may need imaging of the brain to rule out more serious causes. This would in the form of a CT or MRI
Careful examination of the neuro- otologic (ear) system, is needed.
Treatment would depend slightly on the cause but would generally consist of : (1) anti emetics- medication for nausea eg dramamine
(2)vestibular suppressants eg valium, phenergan, dramamine also helps here , antivert
(3) a short course of oral steroids may be needed in vestibular neuronitis
(4)for BPPV- certain maneuvers such as the epley maneuver, semont maneuver can help
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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