Headaches And Dizziness Caused By TBI

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a widespread condition in the United States, one that affects thousands of people. While there are several symptoms associated with TBIs, two of the most prevalent are headaches and dizziness. Research into alleviating these symptoms has lead to a breakthrough in what causes them: binocular vision dysfunction; specifically, the vision dysfunction known as vertical heterophoria (VH). Approximately, 30% of people with post concussive symptoms lasting 3 months or longer, has developed BVD due to faulty brain signals.

Understanding Vertical Heterophoria

VH is characterized by a misalignment of the eyes and the brain’s inability to assemble a single cohesive image from the distorted signals being transmitted by the eyes. Depending on the individual, the imbalance can be caused by one eye being higher than the other or abnormalities in the muscles or nerves of the eyes. While a person can be born with VH, the condition can also be caused by head trauma, which can be addressed with treatment for dizziness.

Diving Deeper Into the Condition

What causes the symptoms of VH is that the eyes and brain are struggling to create a balanced image. In order to do this the eye muscles become overworked and strained in order to align the images and prevent double vision. Over time this strain leads to the person becoming lightheaded, having trouble reading, becoming anxious about driving and being in spaces with tall ceilings, and experiencing constant headaches, all of which are classic indications of binocular vision dysfunction (BVD).

Additional symptoms include:

Neck and upper back pain from a head tilt
Skipping lines while reading
Sensitivity to light
Feeling overwhelmed in the middle of a large crowd
Incoordination
Experiencing pain when moving the eyes

If not correctly diagnosed, some of these symptoms can be attributed to conditions other than BVD, such as spinal misalignment, inner ear disorders, TMJ problems, Meniere’s Disease, vertigo, and vestibular migraine. We do recommend that you first seek out care from your physician to rule out the above conditions. If all other treatments have given you little or no relief, it’s essential to be evaluated for BVD using the Feinberg method Neuro Visual Examination since these conditions are commonly missed in a routine eye exam.

Visual Misalignment After a Concussion

An individual can also experience problems with vision after suffering a concussion, which is a condition known as post concussive syndrome. The disorder is triggered by a mild TBI and can last anywhere from several weeks to several months. It might be seven to 10 days after the incident that caused the concussion before a patient starts suffering from the double vision, disorientation and headaches common to the condition. Besides symptoms indicative of vision dysfunction, this particular disorder can also cause a person to experience emotional and behavioral changes.

Overall causes of visual misalignment after suffering a concussion have been linked to damage to the structure of the brain and an interruption of neurotransmitter systems. Faulty signals are being sent between the visual system, brain, and inner ear balance organs. This leads to the visual symptoms of post concussive syndrome.

Treating Vision Dysfunctions Caused by TBI

In order to experience relief from the effects of a binocular vision dysfunction, a Neurovisual optometrist can prescribe special glasses made with prismatic lenses. These lenses are designed to treat double vision symptoms and other TBI visual problems by refracting light and the images viewed by the eyes in a way that the eye muscles no longer have to overexert themselves. Without the unnecessary strain being put on the eyes and the eye muscles, symptoms of BVD are greatly reduced or eliminated. This is without long term or costly vision therapy.

If you’re suffering from dizziness and headaches from TBI, or if you think you might have VH or any other type of vision dysfunction, get in touch with the professionals of the Neuro Visual Center of New York. Give us a call at 516-224-4888 and get the treatment you need to correct your vision and put your life back into focus. Please take our easy to fill out questionnaire and we will respond as soon as possible with your results.

Testimonials

Prior to being treated by Dr. Cheryl, I constantly felt off balance. I had suffered from frequent migraines since I was 12 years old. I often suffered from neck/ back pain, and always felt like I was straining my neck and/or tilting my head to focus on the computer. My family had always noticed that I walked a bit sideways as well, but they attributed that to me being "clumsy". I had awful anxiety about walking down flights of stairs or through the mall, as I always had this irrational fear of falling. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and depression, as I would tend to avoid social situations where I felt uncomfortable or not in control. At my annual eye exam, Dr. Cheryl asked how my migraines had been. I casually mentioned that I was having dizzy spells and felt off balance. As Dr. Cheryl went through a series of questions, it seemed like she was reading off a script of my symptoms. She started to explain binocular vision dysfunction and asked if I would consider a neuro visual test that may be able to determine if I was a candidate for the type of treatment she was involved in. I was skeptical, but desperate. The tests administered by Dr. Cheryl produced black and white, concrete results. I was blown away by how clear it was that this "visual vertigo" I was experiencing was not only completely legitimate, but treatable. My skepticism disappeared immediately when Dr. Cheryl had me wear a trial pair of glasses with prisms in them. I felt taller, grounded, and completely in control. My glasses have made a tremendous difference in my everyday life. I feel balanced and aware of my surroundings. I no longer catch myself tilting my head while reading through pages of documents on my computer, or tilting my head to get a better view of the TV. It is more than a change in my prescription or a "clearer view," it is an entire perspective change. I have not had a single migraine in 6 months - I am still in shock when I say those words. My dizzy spells have subsided, as well. When I am not wearing my glasses, which is rare, I can immediately feel the difference in my equilibrium. I would never have guessed that all of these symptoms and subsequent issues, were vision related. Dr. Cheryl was 100% supportive and genuinely concerned about my comfort and progress throughout this whole journey. I would, without hesitation, recommend her to anyone that suffers from these symptoms. She is a true life saver and is passionate about investing her time and energy into this growing field.

A. S.

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