Brief and intermittent dizzy spells.

[ShotsFired]

In the past few weeks I have noticed I keep having random, very brief dizzy spells. I had one just now (which prompted me to post).

They happen, and it's like I notice afterwards, that my head has just spun for a few seconds, then everything is perfectly fine again.

I have a desk job so I'm usually sitting down quite still when they occur. My eyes are fine, I feel fit and well, no known medical conditions, not particularly stressed or anything. It's so odd.

Google isn't helping as it's only coming up with conditions related to more "serious" and ongoing dizziness, for example with diabetes symptoms (which was one thing I wondered about). It seems ridiculous to call the Dr and ask about a condition that is intermittent and so brief in duration.

Anyone got any suggestions?

I had that a while back, really weird feeling and lasting as you said very briefly. Got no answers but can sympathise. I had it all different times though, once when I was out walking, not strenuously, and nearly walked into the person I was walking with as I'd looked at a wonky railing at the same time and hadn't realised it was a dizzy spell! Went to doc as I'd also had a weird neck pain/throb and they said "if you haven't been vomitting or passed out you're fine"! Happened about 3 times a week over about a month and a half and haven't had it since christmas now.

Are you eating properly? No harm in checking with gp if worried or it keeps happening - if I'd been roadside for my walking dizzy spell I'd have gone into it. Despite getting fobbed off with it's nothing, if it had continued I would've gone back for a 2nd opinion.

Are you looking at a computer screen?

@Noodoodle Are you eating properly?

• I'm eating the same as I always have, no change there. I did a VLCD diet several few years back and didn't have any issues like this at all. No sickness or passing out either. Just the flashes of spinny-head and then it's gone.

@welshmist Are you looking at a computer screen?

• I am sometimes using a computer, but sometimes I can be doing nothing at all.

Have you had a cold recently? Earache?

I had a cold before Christmas! But no, nothing. As fit as a fiddle as I usually am.

OH has had a vasectomy and I've got the Mirena, so unless my name's Mary, I don't think so!

Could be lots of different things, most not serious but still worth visiting your GP for a checkover just to make sure. Labrinthitis, vertigo, aneamia, hormonal fluctuations, migraine, dehydration, amongst others - just get checked out x

Have a go at these exercises and come back to us with the results.

www.ncuh.nhs.uk/for-gps/clinical-information/cawthorne.pdf

sorry wrong link, go to this one and scroll down until you get to the exercises. Cawthorne Cooksey.

www.brainandspine.org.uk/vestibular-rehabilitation-exercises

@welshmist I did all the exercises fine, no symptoms or dizziness.

Not really sure where to go from here, apart from the doctor with a problem I can't properly describe and that is likely to be absent when I am there!

I had something similar. Ended up with Vestibular Neuronitis (damaged / destroyed balance nerve). Have a chat with your GP, even if you're not actively experiencing symptoms at the appointment.

Benign positional vertigo

BPV, I was diagnosed 5 years ago after I collapsed getting out of the shower. It's not serious but when I get a bout of it (about twice a year) it's so bloody debilitating.

I was going to suggest BPV too. Had it a year or so ago then it gradually went.

I'd highly suggest you ask your gp, just in case they are seizures.

www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/absence-seizures

You might want to ask your doctor to check out your heart with a 24 hour monitor and an ecg. you could be having intermittent AF (not aunt fanny!) or other irregularities. Non invasive checks, only thing is you can't bathe or shower with the monitor. some GP surgeries have facilities to do the ecg in house, takes about 15 minutes, most of which is used up sticking sticky things on you.

BPV sounds more like it than anything, but I have only some, and then only "mild" versions of the symptoms:

Vomiting is common, depending on the strength of the vertigo itself and the causes for this illness. no, never vomited
Nausea is often associated. - no, never had nausea
Paroxysmal — Sudden onset of episodes with a short duration: lasts only seconds to minutes. yes
Positional in onset: Can only be induced by a change in position. No, it happens whenever I am doing what I am doing
Pre-syncope (feeling faint) or syncope (fainting) is unusual but possible. No faintness ever felt
Rotatory (torsional) nystagmus, where the top of the eye rotates towards the affected ear in a beating or twitching fashion, which has a latency and can be fatigued (the vertigo should lessen with deliberate repetition of the provoking maneuver). Nystagmus should only last for 30 seconds to one minute. no nystagmus effects
Visual disturbance: It may be difficult to read or see during an attack due to associated nystagmus. never knowingly noticed this
Vertigo — Spinning dizziness, which must have a rotational component. I guess so, I count that as part of the dizziness

I don't think it is the Absence Seizures though (thank goodness)

It might just be one of those unexplained things...

PS, Thanks for the all the suggestions and tips, I do appreciate them

I had vertigo and it felt as you describe as it was wearing off. You could have mild labyrinthitis. In my case I had a neck problem and seeing an osteopath really helped.

Ive been getting this recently, it starts with a tingling in my hand then in my head and face with dizziness, and sometimes my foot also tingles. Have been to the go and had blood tests, as I had low iron a few months back. I have low vitamin d and have had a further anaemia test which I will see the dr about next week. DH had BPV and does some exercises when he gets a bout of it. Funnily enough, when it was diagnosed he also had low vitamin d levels (even though he spends most of his life outdoors)

You could also have low blood pressure, low iron or a thyroid issue, so worth checking with the GP.

GP not go!

The OP has done the exercises I suggested, so that would suggest it is not vertigo type symptoms. I had vestibular neuronitis was laid out on my back for five weeks not funny finally a dose of antibiotics from my dentist would you believe fixed it (I had gone in desperation wondering if I had a tooth abscess, which he said I did not but gave me the antibiotics just in case.

Something is going on but I do not believe it is anything to do with inner ear problems.