Aspergers and Vertigo

[SusanLR]

I have had problems with getting vertigo that lasts 24 hours.
Usually I wake up with it to find when I raise to get out of bed the room starts spinning very rapidly and I can't get out of bed until I sit up slowly. Even then it is difficult to walk due to the spinning sensation in my head and visual spinning of the room.
I have been to ENT doctors and neurologists over this concern.
The ENT says there is a type of vertigo called benign postural vertigo which gets worse when you move from lying to sitting and vice versa. Nothing was found wrong with my ears to indicate an inner ear problem causing this.
My neurologist has done some testing because I do have neuropathy of the feet and some movement/walking difficulties, but found nothing so far that would explain vertigo.
He told me that a build up of stress can cause this and that it is fairly common in people with Aspergers. Due to anxiety issues.
I can tell when I am about to get a round of this as the top of my head gets a heavy/tight feeling. When this feeling leaves so does the vertigo. Twenty-four hours of bed rest is the only thing that I can do.

I wondered if anyone else has this problem? The more stress, the more frequently it happens. Less stress, less often it occurs.

 

[Streetwise]

do you know much about psychology and pain ?
stress causes the muscles to activate adrenaline
and this sends a huge amount of pressure to any weakened area
your primal brain is readying you to run! it doesnt understand that there is not a predator pursuing you
thats why its good to rest its a loud message saying danger has stopped

I have had problems with getting vertigo that lasts 24 hours.
Usually I wake up with it to find when I raise to get out of bed the room starts spinning very rapidly and I can't get out of bed until I sit up slowly. Even then it is difficult to walk due to the spinning sensation in my head and visual spinning of the room.
I have been to ENT doctors and neurologists over this concern.
The ENT says there is a type of vertigo called benign postural vertigo which gets worse when you move from lying to sitting and vice versa. Nothing was found wrong with my ears to indicate an inner ear problem causing this.
My neurologist has done some testing because I do have neuropathy of the feet and some movement/walking difficulties, but found nothing so far that would explain vertigo.
He told me that a build up of stress can cause this and that it is fairly common in people with Aspergers. Due to anxiety issues.
I can tell when I am about to get a round of this as the top of my head gets a heavy/tight feeling. When this feeling leaves so does the vertigo. Twenty-four hours of bed rest is the only thing that I can do.

I wondered if anyone else has this problem? The more stress, the more frequently it happens. Less stress, less often it occurs.

 

[Suzanne]

I have experienced this once, but it was an inner ear issues; however, I totally get you on how disconcerting it is. Frightening I would say actually.

Not sure it is an aspie prone thing to occur though.

By the way, anxiety and stress are not the same.

Anyway, you have answered your own question, because it calms down when you are less stressed or do you mean: less anxious?

 

[Katleya]

I did not know vertigo was more frequent for us, thanks for the info!

I do have postural vertigo; it's as much a part of my life as blinking or swallowing my saliva, meaning I haven't been able to get away from it ever since the day I realized it was there. My blood pressure is typically rather low, and that's a factor.

I also get episodes that are probably triggered by a combination of stress (now that I know it's a factor ), tension, and spinal chord issues. Those can anywhere between a few days and several months, and I'll get dizziness like I'm on a boat in bad weather with every single move, but also when I'm still if I tilt my head back (makes drinking water very fun) or even chew. It's a mechanical issue, though, and I recently found a physiotherapist who knows how to softly make it go away in a matter of days (I'm not allowed to have a chiropractor or osteopath work on me, and it's way too expensive for me anyways).

Do you have any issues in general, even small, with balance? Or do you have a perception of your surroundings that's not as good as it should be, making you bump into walls and furniture significantly more often than other people? Those could be connected.

 

[Chance]

When super tired, or super stressed out, I get dizzy and things get blurry...
Otherwise I'm just a clumsy mess, sometimes to the point of embarrassing.

 

[WereBear]

It's one of my own stress signs; my brain is getting overloaded. That's why bed rest works; it removes a lot of the stresses of too much input.

 

[Streetwise]

i seem to suffer it in theatres maybe its claustrophobia
as looking over an edge of a building isnt as distressing still get it if i look over a cliff edge

I have had problems with getting vertigo that lasts 24 hours.
Usually I wake up with it to find when I raise to get out of bed the room starts spinning very rapidly and I can't get out of bed until I sit up slowly. Even then it is difficult to walk due to the spinning sensation in my head and visual spinning of the room.
I have been to ENT doctors and neurologists over this concern.
The ENT says there is a type of vertigo called benign postural vertigo which gets worse when you move from lying to sitting and vice versa. Nothing was found wrong with my ears to indicate an inner ear problem causing this.
My neurologist has done some testing because I do have neuropathy of the feet and some movement/walking difficulties, but found nothing so far that would explain vertigo.
He told me that a build up of stress can cause this and that it is fairly common in people with Aspergers. Due to anxiety issues.
I can tell when I am about to get a round of this as the top of my head gets a heavy/tight feeling. When this feeling leaves so does the vertigo. Twenty-four hours of bed rest is the only thing that I can do.

I wondered if anyone else has this problem? The more stress, the more frequently it happens. Less stress, less often it occurs.

 

[Judge]

Have you been able to isolate such a condition from considerations like a magnesium deficiency?

Just wondering. I once knew someone with such a problem. He had a terrible time with doctors attempting to properly diagnose him, until he found one who knew exactly what his problem was. With proper does of magnesium, he was back at work within a day or two. From his perspective it was a miraculous recovery.

 

[kay]

Thanks for posting about your dizziness. I have some issues with dizziness, too. Didn't realize it might be autism related, but it is a common problem in my family so that makes sense. I've never had it last very long but I do get dizzy off and on quite a bit. Just last a few minutes at a time. When I am gardening and having to squat down to pull weeds and then stand back up I sometimes get dizzy enough to need to grab onto something or somebody. Seems to be worse in the spring. I think the sunlight might contribute somehow. A half of beer makes the room spin for a half hour. And sometimes I'll get dizzy for about ten minutes or so for no apparent reason at all. This happens at least maybe once a week, maybe more. It's happened my whole life and it's common in my family, so I've never even mentioned it to a doctor.

 

[SusanLR]

I had follow up with neurologist today and while there may be some physical disorders going on which I will be getting tests for, the Aspergers-vertigo connection was clarified a bit more.
Firstly, we have sensory overload and sensitive nervous systems.
Add this to anxiety with it's HPA axis disorder that causes the flight or fight response-the effect that the adrenaline+corisol+other hormones like noradrenaline, acetycholine, norepinephrine do to the bodies blood vessels and pressure that stress the brain function leads to the balance system (vestibular/ear and cerebellum brain stem section), you have the recipe for lightheadedness and dizziness and if this bodily response is activated for an extended period of time it can lead to total vertigo.
This is the body's way of shutting you down with the long term rest until it can rebalance itself.

When this process continues, our bodies really start to break down until finally the heart, vascular, and other organs and immune system go awry.

There are many diseases that can cause vertigo, but, if ruled out and you have anxiety/panic attacks it's probably the anxiety, stress and with autism the sensory overload is the 3rd strike. Thus sunlight and neon lights, strobes, (which I cannot stand), too much visual input triggers the dominoe affect to vertigo.
Well that's a lot said, but, good information and clarification on why viertigo can be associated with autism.

 

[Gracey]

I have vertigo but not on standing upright.
Using a footbridge (that spans a busy road underneath or fast flowing river) stepping up on footstools, ladders, escalators with glass sided panels, train platforms (trains that run straight through the station and don't stop) walking through a busy, crowded shopping centre and looking up (the movement of others in my peripheral has me stumbling)
(To date it's all been linked to my OCD.) - (that in itself has huge anxieties attached)

What you wrote about the body shutting down to rebalance and experiencing symptoms over a prolonged period of time leading to a vertigo really hits home for me.

I can't leave it there though
I can accept that I have vertigo but won't accept that there's nothing I can do about it. I don't like it, don't want it and it's preventing me from getting on with my day to day activities therefore I'm looking for ways to change it for my own benefit.

 

[SusanLR]

I have vertigo but not on standing upright.
Using a footbridge (that spans a busy road underneath or fast flowing river) stepping up on footstools, ladders, escalators with glass sided panels, train platforms (trains that run straight through the station and don't stop) walking through a busy, crowded shopping centre and looking up (the movement of others in my peripheral has me stumbling)
(To date it's all been linked to my OCD.) - (that in itself has huge anxieties attached)

What you wrote about the body shutting down to rebalance and experiencing symptoms over a prolonged period of time leading to a vertigo really hits home for me.

I can't leave it there though
I can accept that I have vertigo but won't accept that there's nothing I can do about it. I don't like it, don't want it and it's preventing me from getting on with my day to day activities therefore I'm looking for ways to change it for my own benefit.

I does incapacitate me until it leaves, then I never know when it will attack again. I wish there were something to tell you that can be done about it. I keep looking for answers too, but, for me the only answer that I've found is to live a quiet, unstressed life which is impossible. It has become more frequent since the change in my life from losing my Mom and now being forced to live in the NT world that is constantly pushing, demanding and noisey. I had a bad dream last night that I believe was induced from the emotions I am feeling from this lifestyle.
I have been scolded that I am not pulling my share of household work, I sleep too much in the day and stay up all night and the person I live with wants me to conform to his hours, eat when he wants, etc.
2. I now have to drive alone in a city which creates anxiety daily. So, I feel pressured to comply. If I don't, he has been let it be known there is the door! Meaning find some other means to live. Yet another change with new people whether it is living in a private house with someone as a renter or in some group setting. Doctors do not recommend trying to live alone with health problems I now have.
Ah, for a quite sanctuary! They should make such a place for the senior and disabled Aspies.

 

[Blue]

I'm on a blood pressure medicine that makes me black out a little if I stand up too fast. It might be a medication.

 

[Jet Weiss]

When I am in an area with a lot of skyscrapers or tall buildings I get vertigo if I look up, and if I am standing on a high-up floor in a tall building I get vertigo when looking down.
I've never known why.

 

[SusanLR]

I'm on a blood pressure medicine that makes me black out a little if I stand up too fast. It might be a medication.

That type of dizziness is called Orthostatic Hypotension. BP meds can do that. So be careful when getting up too quickly. Thanks, but, it isn't what causes mine as mine is a 24 hour cycle that is continous.
There is a connection between the inner ear and brain stem in those with autism and ASD. That could certainly account for a lot of our sensory overloads esp. from sound and head/eye movements like looking up and down quickly.

@Jet Weiss I've done a lot of studying on this vertigo and Aspergers connection since the neurologist told me about it and and again the sensory input along with head movements up and down may explain the skyscraper dizziness. Notice if it happens when you look up into the sky without the visual buildings input.
Sure getting some good medical backgrounds on this subject. Which is one of my interests.

I am getting a test where I will have to look at a flashing checkerboard pattern to see what may flare up in the brain. Too much like a strobe, I fear. eek.

 

[Butterfly88]

I get vertigo. For me it is partly from anxiety and partly medicine side effects from meds treating other conditions I have.

 

[Judge]

Have you been able to isolate such a condition from considerations like a magnesium deficiency?

Just wondering. I once knew someone with such a problem. He had a terrible time with doctors attempting to properly diagnose him, until he found one who knew exactly what his problem was. With proper does of magnesium, he was back at work within a day or two. From his perspective it was a miraculous recovery.

Sorry about that. I meant Potassium- not Magnesium. Realized it after I posted essentially the same thing in another thread.

 

[SusanLR]

Sorry about that. I meant Potassium- not Magnesium. Realized it after I posted essentially the same thing in another thread.

Yes. No problem with electrolytes imbalance.
ENT doctor says it is vestibular (inner ear balance center), but everything checks out ok physically with that.
The ENT and Neurologist both agree visual and sensory overload combined with days of ongoing stress is the probable cause. The process is triggered by these stressors which cause an excitation of the nerves in the balance center. I also get tinnitus from anxiety and auditory overload.
Still have two neurological tests to complete, but, so far the script calls for not booking days with stressors continous. Make a few days per week that are free to rest, do meditation, walk in the woods or anything that is relaxing.

 

[Noba Loney]

Interesting.

I had no idea there was any connection between ASD and vertigo. I've had some residual vertigo for about four months now following a dramatic episode that incapacitated me for a few days (clinging to the floor and being sick.)

Hadn't considered it could be related to stress or sensory overload.