Getting Blurred Vision And Feeling Of Roller Coaster When Laying Down. Worrisome

Posted on Fri, 17 May 2013

Question: When I lay down on my back I loose focus of vision and it feels like I am on a roller coaster ...when I sit up I feel ok again ....only when I lay on my back ....I am worried

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (13 minutes later)

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your health concerns.

The term vertigo is used to describe a sensation in which either you feel spinning, or moving around the room when staying still, or the room and objects spinning around you. If this happens with changes in position, particularly from standing or sitting to laying down, it could be related to a benign cause of vertigo related to dysfunction of the "balance center" of the middle ear. It is even more consistent if you do the same maneuvers and you reproduce the symptoms.

If this scenario sounds familiar, then it would be prudent to have a health professional examine you, focusing on a neurologic exam and certain "maneuvers" to reproduce symptoms. Physical therapy can help if this is the cause of the symptoms.

Hope this helps with your query, wish you the best health,

Dr Brenes-Salazar
Mayo Clinic Rochester

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T