Psycho-Physiological Dizziness Syndrome (PPDS)

I too try any diversion to stay away from the pain ruminating, and know only too well how difficult it is. Tenacity is the word, think of absolutely anything at all. Guided meditation is my go to practice for “sort of” immediate relief
I did want to agree with you Sofa, how the instability can make me feel disadvantaged, I find it an apt description. It’s almost exhausting physically and emotionally staying upright (even if you seriously know you are safe). Any kind of insecurity creates an unwelcome intrusion.

 

Thanks for posting this, Forest. Huge help and agree... you're starting to see more and more medical sites recognize this as its own condition... which of course we know means it's part of the larger (TMS/Stress disorder) condition. How refreshing that the 2nd listed cause of this is "period of high stress."

Makes you wonder if this will be the back pain of the next generation, or the ulcers... RSI... etc.

But shining the flashlight all over it will do wonders to help people. This condition is still a daily part of my life but most days, life is pretty good! (Or, I have other issues that are worse lol)

Anyway, understanding what this is... isn't... was huge in me going on with life. Hopefully your post helps others do the same.

Now for me personally, it's about working on the overall TMS mindset which allows conditions like this to flourish, and moving past it all.

 

Hi,
I am new to this forum and am curious what TMS is? Today I was diagnosed with PPPD by my neurologist. 3 months ago (April) I woke up one morning with severe dizzy spells & was later diagnosed with BPPV. At the beginning of the year (January) my dad died (he passed away of old age, I was there when he took his last breath) and after that I felt I was numb and wondering how I was coping with it so well (it hadn't hit me yet). Then all of a sudden I was massively agitated, suicidal and super stressed with my work place and home life. I wasn't coping well at all, I kept saying to my husband that I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. I have always suffered anxiety and depression and up until my vertigo attack 3 months ago I had been unmedicated for 3 years. I really thought I had kicked its butt. After reading this stuff, I feel the death of my dad and the stress from home life and work may have provoked my vertigo which has now turned into PPPD. Am I on the right track? As this is all very new to me. Can this syndrome produce after vertigo?

 

Hi, quick answer (on the run). Please read the information at our main website, tmswiki.org. That will answer a lot of your initial questions. Also be sure to read the update to the pdf article on PPPD that Forest posted last week on this thread. After that, you should be able to ask more specific questions, or you'll be ready to read Dr Sarno and start one of our free programs.

 

It has been a little over a year and this post just stopped. Wondering how you and everyone else was doing in there recovery.. I'm still working on mine.. Same symptoms as Dr Edelmans.. Been bad since March with the stress from everything happening in the world.. Been doing vestibular therapy now and I feel like it's helping.. But it's basically just retraining the brain... To not fear the symptoms... But anyway just wondering how everyones recovery was progressing..

 

Forest I'm new here.. I just notuc

Forrst I'm new here and I was reading the updated paper that Dr Edelman sent you.. I noticed she left some stuff out that was on her original.. I have the original one she wrote. She left out hearing and visual issues and DP/DR. I found that strange.. How have you been doing? It's been a little over a year since anyone posted anything on here.

 

Hi Jince...


Like you, I’m still working through the condition but have definitely improved over the last couple of years. My baseline is better and most of the time I don’t even think about it anymore. Now that said, there is still a steady sense of imbalance and slight thickness I feel in my head, for lack of a better description. But I’ve gotten on with life and excepted that it’s going to be like this for as long as it needs to.

I’ve also found that stress can correlate to the symptoms increasing, but at the same time it just doesn’t seem to completely want to let go. So I’m getting on with life the best I can which is usually pretty good.

These types of dizziness conditions (and DP etc) are known to be stubborn. So I’m working to be patient with myself.

Hope things continue to improve for you.

 

Thanks for sharing this, I have Literally everyone of these symptoms, I normally avoid all things because the symptoms and discomfort, now I understand to embrace them!

 

Hi TMSers,

Apologies in advance as I posted on the main forum recently but I now realize I have Psycho-physiological dizziness syndrome. PPDS which is TMS!

I am assuming I treat this condition in the same was as I would treat TMS correct?

Thanks so much in advance

Matthew

"Several years ago now I was diagnosed with NDPH ((Headache upon waking not pretty) by the medical profession which lasted over three years off bouncing around the medical profession including stem cells injections in the neck, and so forth. I discovered Dr Sarno and his teachings (god bless him) and was cured 100%.

Roll on to January 2022. Some very minor bouts of TMS which I corrected over the last few years but minor and only every lasted a few days. I have some skin related issues which have been happening for the last year which may also be TMS but they don't really both me on a day to day basis.

Anyway to cut to the chase, I got Covid in the second week of this month. I believe it was Omicron. I had x2 Pfizer only recently and basically had mild symptoms (no loss of taste / smell) and it cleared by day 4. On Day 5 I started to get what could be described as light headed / dizzy / off balance when I was upright and walking. This has continued to this day. My body is still physically fit (I walk 5 - 10km) every day so I dont believe Covid has affected any of my major organs, I dont thankfully have any respiratory issues all medical tests for dizziness etc have come back fine.

Ive been given a medical examination and told im in good condition.

Its this TMS ?? Its very frustrating tbh. How can my ANS have switched from headache pain to dizziness???

I watched this video with interest: https://www.thismighthurtfilm.com/long-covid (Long Covid — Neuroplastic & Mind-Body Resources — This Might Hurt)

Please any thoughts / ideas/ insights would be very welcomed.

 

Hi Matthewa,

I think you are barking at the right tree here. I logged in to mention that Dr. Schubiner did some work on 'long covid', but I just noticed that you have already discovered that yourself.

The Covid age is a period that comes with a lot of uncertainty, solitude, sadness, fear and anger, so I can fully imagine how all those built up emotions can lead to physical and/or psychological problems for some people, especially when the media bombards us with fear inducing news items on a daily basis.

Dizziness after a viral infection is not uncommon by the way. I don't know the mechanism and even the pro's are seemingly still divided on the matter. Maybe it is simply our body's way of insuring that we take it easy for the first couple of days/weeks, as we have just drained our bodies to fight a virus and that we need some time to gather strength and resources. When I think of animals, I can see that such a mechanism makes sense as it unconsciously stops them from overexerting themselves without making them unable to eat, drink and move around when necessary. If they break a bone or damage a joint, residual pain is the tool that is used to insure optimal long-term recovery. Maybe in viral/bacterial infections, dizziness is the tool that is used.
Anyway, whether it is a direct effect of the infection on your inner-ear, anxiety or the mechanism that I just made up, I feel it is something that should dissappear with time.

On a similar note... I remember getting my first shot and not feeling quite well almost immediately; in retrospect it was all due to built up tension from the situation. When I look at stories of people who state that they got all kinds of weird long lasting symptoms after their shot, in the majority of cases (not all!) the mentioned symptoms could easily be classified as classic TMS symptoms imho. Funny thing is that my second shot only gave me a sore shoulder; may be just a coincidence but it could also be that this time I was much more relaxed about the whole thing.

I am not surprised at all to read that a headache switched into dizziness. Especially when someone suffers from a stiff/sore neck too, although that is more of a personal opinion nor do I know if that is the case with you... just wondering...
It is pretty common for TMS symptoms to switch location and/or form. I experienced it and many people here have too. Never a dull moment when you have TMS on the run.

take care and good luck on your road to recovery, Gigalos

 

Gigalos thanks for taking the time for such a thoughtful and intelligent response.

A lot of what you mentioned resonates with me greatly

I have read Dr. Schubiner work on 'long covid', its a very interesting read.

The annoying think about this episode of dizziness is it came right after I recovered from covid like after 4 days. So It is very hard for me to know if its
actually a physical reaction or TMS.!!!!!

 

The key is to understand - and to fully accept - that it doesn't matter. This question is irrelevant.

If you have an expectation that this symptom will go away as your body (and mind) fully recover from your encounter with the virus, then that's most likely what will happen. It's also possible that your brain will remember that you were afraid of this symptom, and it will use it to freak you out again in the future when it wants you to go into fear mode.

That's the tricky thing about TMS. The key is your reaction to it. Talking back to your fearful brain is a very powerful technique, and it can be used any time, whether you are experiencing a "real" physiological illness or injury, or whether you're experiencing pure TMS. It will help control your symptoms in both cases, therefore it doesn't matter why the symptoms exist.

Along with talking back to your brain, start incorporating breathing exercises into a regular calming routine. Also a very powerful technique to calm every system in your body.

~Jan

PS - it's always nice to hear from you @Gigalos!

 

"The key is to understand - and to fully accept - that it doesn't matter. This question is irrelevant."

Never has a truer word been spoken Jan!!!!

Thanks for also taking the time to respond to me with equally invaluable advice.

I have one sub question if you don't mind. I am now basically experiencing the equivalent of Psycho-Physiological Dizziness Syndrome (PPDS).

It is recommended that I try some CBT as part of the recovery.

Shall I just focus on core TMS in your opinion rather then some of these sub CBT programmes?

I am trying deep breathing, and try incorporate them in my cardio exercises though tbh I suck for now but v slowly improving!

Yes Gigalos is also a star ;-)

Kind Regards,

Matthew

 

He is that for sure ❤️

 

Having never engaged specifically in CBT myself, I don't feel particularly qualified to give an opinion on it, but I absolutely do believe in the value of therapy - with one caveat: the therapist must fully and actively incorporate mindbody theory into their practice. My therapist originally worked with Alan Gordon, and is up to date on his theories and methods, which of course build on Dr. Sarno's original theory, but have taken that theory farther and incorporated recent knowledge from neuroscience.

I suspect that MBT and CBT are complementary and that CBT practitioners probably accept the mind-body connection - but IMO they have to fully embrace and incorporate it.

~Jan