Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Vertigo and AS

When someone has AS can vertigo also be a condition or a symptom of AS. I have AS and have approx 4 to 5 vertigo attacks a year ..lasting 2 to 6 weeks .Dr has diagnosed me with BVVP at the age of 30,but they say this is very uncommon in people under 50 years of age.I've had this chronic condition for 18 years. Dr said there,s really nothing he can do for me. I see physio , for epley manuvers,and take gravol. Serc was ineffective for me. Any ideas would be appreciated what medications help, if diet makes a difference,and things to avoid.Thanks ..Hope everyone is well.

Hi, hope you are better.

I had vertigo's last year, had high levels of inflammation at that time and had come of Sulfazine back to Naprosyn. Cant say if there is a link between medications or AS, but just sharing. At this stage I had lots of other side affects of naprosyn. Constant headaches, ulcers, very sensitive stomach...

Probably not related but, as my AS got worse then I developed recurring and severe
Lab(a)rynthitis which has a vertigo like symptom. It is debillitating and oft seems to occur when inflammation in my neck and head is at a high level.

I drink 10 pints of beer to medicate, it doesnt cure but I then have a reason on which to blame my constant falling over!!!

Hi Maryd57,
Yes, I think Vertigo very possible to be another symptom of AS for some people. I've had episodes at least once a year for the past 5 years. It lasts for about a week at a time, and I think the longest was three weeks. My doctors say my inner ears get "infected" after looking into my ears, and they put me on a short prescriptions of antibiotics, which usually starts to work within the 5th day. I think every time I had this problem the very top part of my neck has been hurting and had that puffy feeling when pressing on it with my fingers. So they might not actually be caused by infections, but rather inflammation alone. Either way they'll still be inflamed though.

A few years ago someone here told me to avoid dairy when having vertigo symptoms, and the advice seems to be working for me, and I think the dairy might have actually helped trigger the symptoms too. I also have other problems with dairy too, so I have to go easy on it anyways. Ringing of the ears and minor/normal dizziness is common with me, at least once every one to two weeks. So yeah, I think it is very possible for Vertigo to be a symptom of AS, but at the same time, it is probably not a very common complaint among us.

As Alan thinks, I also think it's not a related problem, but something I think that can happen from inflammation.

Take care,
James

Hello Maryd57,

Perhaps not the same symptom, but I had light-headedness for at least a month starting with the holiday season at the end of 2008. My GP had some explanation about high inflammation causing it, and he turned out to be right that my inflammation did go up a lot during that time -- while I was indulging in lovely holiday treats.

If your vertigo is likewise caused by general inflammation, you might be able to see increased inflammation markers when it comes on. "Might" because I've heard the inflammation blood tests fail to provide useful information for some people.

As far as diet affecting it: there has been a big correspondence between eating starchy foods and feeling rotten. It was not until I started reading articles and posts at this site that I realized it however. The first time I got iritis was soon after Christmas, when I had skyrocketing inflammation levels. Then the next year I got this light-headedness thing with increased inflammation starting the day after Thanksgiving, despite being on naproxyn. Then last year I started attempting the starch-free diet thing prior to the holidays, and went off it only a little bit during the holidays -- I only got a little bit worse.

I have had vertigo symptoms and fluid on my ears since my AS progressed to the point I started Enbrel. I like the idea of drinking lots of beer so at least there is a good reason to stumble around but I am out of luck there since my high blood pressure would get me. Oh well, thanks for asking this question and everyone for answering its so nice to know you are in good company. April

Thank-you for all the comments,it was very interesting.I will talk to the doc and see what she has to say.. the beer drinking was a good one, but me I would for sure fall over LOL. What about salt intake or corn has anyone heard anything about that.It would be very interesting to see what a persons ESR is when they have a vertigo attack..I did hear something about the milk intact, and its funny that you mentioned it because I have increased my milk intake for the last couple of weeks due to sickness.

Hi MaryD57, I too get similar symptoms, and last year was told by a condescending Neurosurgeon that it was just stress - what? I honestly was not stressed at the time. I found I was losing hearing so had to have my ears checked again and finally after a bad result was sent to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist who said I have Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease. He said to take Prednisone when I notice a sudden loss in my hearing and this may stop it worsening. However I am now unable to take Prednisone and just have to wear whatever happens. Anyway, my aim wasn't to bring you down, just to say that I know how you feel and I hope you get some answers. So many things put down to Autoimmune disease I get the feeling my body hates itself! lol
Take care, Di

My vertigo bouts started about 3 years ago the first one scared the heck out of me because I never had it before and it hit me in the midlle of the night and caused me to flat black out.

After lots of tests I got a diagnosis of BPPV and the positional exercises to relieve it. They help when it comes on if I'm am unwary.

No one has said it but I have absolutely no doubt it is AS caused. My neck is fused and the leftr side of my jaw manifests far more of my TMJ problems. My left ear will hurt from inflammation in the neck and shoulder and jaw on that side.

These are signs that I may be in for a bout of vertigo.

I have found and been told by one Doc that drinking lots of water is beneficial to reducing the bouts.

The only other automatic trigger I found to cause the vertigo is when I take Nexium for my acid reflux. after my first bout of vertigo my wife read that vertigo was a possible side effect from taking Nexium. Being stubborn I agreed to stop taking it and the vertigo went away but I also chnged other variable. Two separate times I tried reintroduicng the Nexium and the vertigo recurred within days.

I still get i t without taking the Nexium but if I insist on making myself dizzy all I need do is take the Nexium.

hey steve,

wonder if you could take something in place of the nexium? my husband and i have been taking prilosec every day for almost 20 years now and neither of us have ever had a vertigo problem. i take it for gastritis, but he takes it for reflux. just a thought.