strange symptoms with cervical stenosis
 

for the past 9 months ive been experiencing the following strange symptoms:

1. tinnitus in both ears, more prevelant in the right. I experiene a contstant ringing. I also occassionaly get pulsatile tinnitus thats in sync with my heartbeat. I have visited an ENT doc and no issues were found with my ears. no hearing loss either
2. A sensation of throbbing in my forehead and the back of my head thats in sync with my heartbeat. There is no pain and it doesnt feel like a headache. Feels more like bloodflow pumping through my head. I had range of blood tests done which showed no issue. BP is also normal
3. Sore eyes that feel strained or tired, more prevelant in the right eye. I have had my vision checked multiple times in the last few months with no issues. There is no blurring or other eye issues.
4. nausea which comes on suddenly without explanation
5. occassional dizziness which feels like mild vertigo

when i tilt my head to the left (bringing ear down to meet shouler) all of the above symptoms are aggravated. but if i tilt to the right the symptoms improve.

I had an MRI of my neck with the following results:
At c3-c4 there is evidence of a moderately large osteophyte on the right side causing narrowing of the right side neural foramina. There is a minor disc bulge at this level. conclusion: foraminal stenosis of c3-c4 on the right

I dont appear to have any of the symptoms of cervical stenosis such as shooting pain, neck pain (or any kind of pain to speak of) and tingling/numbness. but i cant ignore that the head movements seems to be making my problems worse. Has anyone ever come accross the same thing with cervical stenosis. Is it possible that a blood vessel may be getting trapped

Im a 31 year old male with no other health problems. currently waiting to see a neurologist

Hi dmci,

I'm having similar symptoms as you, glad you're going to see a neuro and hopefully he will have answers.

I had a concussion last year with physical injuries, one being a herniated disc in neck at C7-T1.

All your symptoms could be coming from your neck, think only a specialist will know for sure and then maybe send you for more tests.

Hi dmci,

I had those same symptoms with my own C3/C4. And had a lot of tests as you had done plus some. Chance are you are experiencing cervicogenic dizziness and/or occipital neuralgia. It is odd that you aren't having pain because my headaches were severe. Anyway, my pain management doctor said at the time that the spinal nerves crosstalk to the auditory nerves and that is what caused the dizziness, vertigo, etc. So, it could very well be it is all because of the foraminal narrowing. Then again, it could be something else.

I had ringing also about 6 months ago. An ear doctor said it may be menieures(sp?) disease. Also just diag-ed with stenosis c5-c6 with loss of strength in right arm. I wonder if they are related?

Do you take vitamins? B vitamins in particular? I had tinnitus really bad, along wwithmany other spinal issuess. However after seeing a neurologist and having bloodwork, it seemed i hhad extremely high levels of b6 b12. I stopped taking them and watched foods i ate that were high in them, and the tinnitus along with elbow joint pain both went away.

Welcome dmci. :Wave-Hello:

DMCI,

So sorry you are going through this, but my suggestion might be of some help.

I too have issues with cervical stenosis with symptoms of constant dizziness, tinnitus in the right ear, tingling on the right side of my face.

Yes, it is possible that your stenosis is causing a blood flow problem. As does mine. With all kinds of testing, medications to cover up the symptoms, and no relief in sight, I came across a book called " The Downside of Upright Posture" by Michael Flanagan DC.

In reading this book I found I have CCSVI (cerebral cervical stenosis venous insufficiency. Blood flow is being cut off when I bend my neck back or lay on my left side. I was dx with RRMS (relaxing remitting multiple sclerosis) and with C1 & C2 (Altas and Axis) does not hold an adjustment from my chiropractor. C3 & C4 are herniated, T4 is bulging, and alot of degenerative changes are in the spine with some spinal cord impingement (severe pain).

When my regular chiropractor couldn't help me and even after cervical traction to open the vertebra and disc that took 3 sessions. It didn't hurt, actually it helped with the pain, but didn't hold.

After reading "The downside of upright posture" by Michael Flanigan (you can get it on his website) www.upright-health.com , it became clear to me that I needed a chiropractor that specifically dealt with the cervical spine.

I saw Dr. Andy Gibson an Upper Cervical Chiropractor here in Pa on a Saturday, told him of my symptoms, He took specific xrays sitting upright. Told me of his findings and gave me my first adjustment which was laying on my left side, and a light touch to my neck near C1 and C2.

Within four hours later, I was feeling a difference. He found I was putting a lot more of my body weight on my right foot. Told me what I already knew, my axis and atlas (C1 & C2) do not stay in place. A simple adjustment to my neck and viola! Pain and dizzyness minimized that was bearable. And he told me not to put my head back unless I neccessarily had to.

WOW, I felt soo much better. Now, do to my degenerative changes in my cervical spine, I do have to maintain periodic adjustments. About once a month.

When I thought my life was over, having to live with excruciating pain, dizziness and the awful tinnitus, The cervical adjustments gave me my life back.

Dr Andy is a Godsend. A regular chiropractor does not have the specialized training as a upper cervical chiropractor does.

See if one is in your area and give it a try. What can it hurt, no pun intended.

Keeping the cervical spine aligned will help keep you at maximum performance and

I will pray for you and for relief of your pain. God bless you and keep you!:hug:

It appears that—unfortunately—dmci never returned following his first post/visit (not uncommon) :(.

For anyone who may have similar symptoms:

Another possibility is Acephalgic migraine (also called acephalalgic migraine, migraine aura without headache, amigrainous migraine, isolated visual migraine, and optical migraine) or silent migraine.

silent migraine

My DW presented with very similar symptoms, and for several months we thought it was SSRI discontinuation syndrome.

A visit to a University Medical Center Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) suggested it may be silent migraine, which was masked by the SSRI. (No comment on the possibility/question of whether it could have been caused by the SSRI.)

Anyhoo, she's been on an elimination diet (eliminating any/all potential dietary migraine triggers) suggested by a book suggested by the otolaryng... (I can't spell otolaryngologist, let alone pronounce it) ...the ENT guy. After a few weeks, she's doing much better, and experiencing less pain overall from her cervical stenosis as well. (I have no idea why, but I don't care—she feels better, and Ol' Furface & I have come out of hiding.

If it can't hurt to try it, then it can't hurt to try it.

Doc