I get lightheaded alot, even if I’m not at all off balance. Lately it’s happened alot upon standing too. I do not pass out or even come close…just uncomfortable for a few seconds.
Some of my symptoms (whether it’s lightheaded, dizzy, or head pressures) ALSO happen with neck movements, but the exact positioning and frequency of this is inconsistent. No BPPV, no cervical vertigo. I wondered about CSD, but the whole positional thing has me second guessing that one.
I have done the “poor man’s” tilt table test on myself loads of times and there is no dramatic change in BP or pulse…even when i’m symptomatic. No tachycardia episodes, ever. Exercise tolerance is fantastic. I do sometimes feel strange and anxious if standing for a long time in crowds, but my GP and psych said anxiety. I was diagnosed with primary hypertension 4 yrs ago, but I’m doing well with no BP meds now, so that can’t be causing this. I sometimes have PVCs, which i got checked out via EKG and my dr. said perfectly benign. Should i still request an official Tilt Table Test, and/or other tests to diagnose this stuff?
Hi there,
I do have tachycardia, however it only goes from say 70 to 100+ and its infrequent so they say that I may have a mild case of POTS.
I did the table test at the hospital and of course that particular day was Fine… In order to have True Pots, you have to have your heart rate go
at the minimum 30+ beats upon standing. and keep going up. Mine did go from 70-100 then to 104 then 108 and back down to 92. So it wasn’t dx
as true POTS, but did order a tilt table to be sure, and it was fine.
ALSO… Big thing here, if you do have POTS, the first course of action would be to UP your salt intake, water and excercise. Ya, so its kind of against what your probably doing now. After that, the next thing could be to add in 10mg of Propranolol. Very small dose.
I have a bad neck, and I do get the positional hypotension that you describe. Starts within 20 sec’s of standing. Last less than a min. And you feel faint, and distant and pressure, then it goes away. Mine will also come on right after craniosacral therapy as well.
It could be BP related or… If I was you, and you could afford it. Then I would just get it, so it can come back that you dont have it and you dont have anxiety wondering about it. But if you cant, then dont, because from what you describe you dont have it at all. Coming from someone that went thru all of this, and from what my docs say. Cause Im no doctor. 
Kristina
Thanks Kristina! That makes sense. Doesn’t seem like you have it either but at least that’s one test down, eh?
A big part of my problem has always been anxiety, particularly hypochondria. Been this way most of my life unfortunately (waaay before the dizzy and neck symptoms started). So i probably need to be more careful about looking into these things too much, as it only provides temporary relief. 
Do you just do craniosacral therapy? How about deep tissue massage? I had 2 chiro adjustments last fall and it kinda freaked me out. No adverse reactions, but I doubt anything happened, other than me pulling some money out of my pockets haha. No plans to do it again. Last yr, I had 5 PT sessions, but i don’t know if that was any better…not only did he have strange reasons for suggesting i had cervicogenic vertigo, but the sessions just consisted of heating my neck for 5 minutes with a towel, and just doing gentle “massage”, possibly trigger point maneuvers? Hmm. I did however, have 3 deep tissue massages last yr (each session was one month apart) and felt much better, at least for a few weeks
I did cranial work just a couple weeks ago. I went several times and then switched providers and the new lady did it for longer and took my headache away twice, but brought on all sorts of dizziness and I got hypotention within 45 min’s everytime. It lasted all day. The PT said its normal. Personally I did not like it and wont do it again, as it took so long to get to a good place with dizziness just to have it all back. I also cannot do deep massage. Finally Im okay with doing light body work. But to deep and it will bring on headache and more neckpain.
I have been to what I call “cookie cutter Pt’s” the ones that bring you in and put you on heat then ice then “rub” your back and throw in a little tens or ultrasound and throw you out the door… Those types never did anything. I do believe in doing a few neck moves to strengthen the neck muscles.
In the mess of all of this I went to two chiros’ and did not help. I do not like chiro’s at all, dont believe in them,but I was desperate and didn’t help, who knows at they could have made it worse. My surgeon was not happy, he toldme not to let anyone EVER crack my neck. I have had surgeries so…
K