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What Causes Dizziness At Night, Anxiety, Stress And Small Vessel Disease?
Question: I am 44 years old and have had epilepsy from age of 15 which is now well controlled and has been for a long time. I do suffer from violent migraines from time to time and have done for about 20 years. Over 12 months ago I started having dizzy spells which only came on at night time, prior to the dizzy spells I had been suffering from anxiety and stress. I had an mri brain scan carried out to rule other things out and the brain scan came back normal but showed miniscule small vessel disease. My neurologist told me it wasn't anything to worry about that it was an early warning sign and to follow healthy lifestyle. I do not suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. I am terrified after reading up on small vessel disease, please can you help.
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Some changes of the small blood vessels take place in all of us as the body and its vessels age. In some people it is more pronounced than in others. They can be related to conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking etc, but can be present in their absence as well, genetic factors play their role as well. Migraine is known to be associated with white matter changes as well.
However in the case of minimal changes which seems to be your case they are not related to any symptoms and have been found only by coincidence. They do not represent neither any risk to you life nor a cause for disability. Migraine patients as I said are known to have a higher rate of brain white matter changes on MRI, but studies have shown that not to be associated with any important effect on their cognitive functions.
So I do agree with your neurologist, while I understand it would've been preferable not to have any finding at all, it is not something to be alarmed about.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Some changes of the small blood vessels take place in all of us as the body and its vessels age. In some people it is more pronounced than in others. They can be related to conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking etc, but can be present in their absence as well, genetic factors play their role as well. Migraine is known to be associated with white matter changes as well.
However in the case of minimal changes which seems to be your case they are not related to any symptoms and have been found only by coincidence. They do not represent neither any risk to you life nor a cause for disability. Migraine patients as I said are known to have a higher rate of brain white matter changes on MRI, but studies have shown that not to be associated with any important effect on their cognitive functions.
So I do agree with your neurologist, while I understand it would've been preferable not to have any finding at all, it is not something to be alarmed about.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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