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What Causes Vibration Feeling While Sitting And Blurred Vision?
Question: I keep getting a feeling of vibration in my feet in particular, when I'm either sitting or standing. If you've ever been in an earthquake area, you'll know what I mean. I've also been having trouble with blurred vision occasionally but the optician said my eyes were O.K. However, I did have them tested one and they said I needed glasses but when I took them back a month later as I couldn't see properly using them, they tested me again and said I didn 't need them. I've had occasional trouble with my balance recently ( I tried to ride a 2 wheel cycle and couldn't keep it upright. I've told my doctor a long time ago I get tired very easily and I need to go to the toilet much more often now and often don't get more than a minute or two 'notice' that I need to urinate which makes things very difficult when there are few public toilets these days. I'm a lady of 60 yrs by the way and have for several years been receiving medication for hypertension.
Brief Answer:
Have you tested your blood sugar?
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
The vibration feeling and the blurred vision may or may not be related. However diabetes is one condition that can connect them both. A chronic diabetes or a very high blood sugar can affect peripheral nerves of feel leading to abnormal sensation (paraaesthesia) and visual disturbances (retinopathy). Further presence of diabetes can also lead to autonomic disturbance. And autonomic dysfunctions are known to cause blood pressure fluctuations leading to balancing troubles. Easy tiredness and increased urination is also explained by diabetes.
Therefore based on the list of symptoms, I would first order a blood sugar check. If that's normal, I would refer you to an ophthalmologist to understand if the blurred vision has anything to do with hypertension. For your record, hypertension does disturb vision.
Similarly I would order for vitamin b12, thyroid function test, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, electrolytes, liver and renal function tests. They can help us isolate the cause of paraesthesia.
Although it isn't an immediate concern, I suggest you to visit your primary care provider and get the tests / referrals done early.
Hope this answer your question. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Have you tested your blood sugar?
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
The vibration feeling and the blurred vision may or may not be related. However diabetes is one condition that can connect them both. A chronic diabetes or a very high blood sugar can affect peripheral nerves of feel leading to abnormal sensation (paraaesthesia) and visual disturbances (retinopathy). Further presence of diabetes can also lead to autonomic disturbance. And autonomic dysfunctions are known to cause blood pressure fluctuations leading to balancing troubles. Easy tiredness and increased urination is also explained by diabetes.
Therefore based on the list of symptoms, I would first order a blood sugar check. If that's normal, I would refer you to an ophthalmologist to understand if the blurred vision has anything to do with hypertension. For your record, hypertension does disturb vision.
Similarly I would order for vitamin b12, thyroid function test, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, electrolytes, liver and renal function tests. They can help us isolate the cause of paraesthesia.
Although it isn't an immediate concern, I suggest you to visit your primary care provider and get the tests / referrals done early.
Hope this answer your question. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I've already had blood sugar tested before on several occasions and been told its OK.The strange feeling in my feet isn't there all the time but comes and goes as does the problem with blurred vision (hence being told on one occasion I need to wear glasses, for driving in particular, but when returning as I couldn't read road signs properly when wearing them I was told I didn't need to wear them !) and balance problems. I still get blurred vision occasionally but didn't see much point going back to optician as would probably be prescribed glasses which I later had to take back as before. Another problem I have is when I try to grip something tight, like a pen, my fingers lock and turn white at the finger ends which I was told was Raynauds. Sometimes when I walk my left knee gives way. I put this down to the fact that I had some muscle wastage in my arms and legs a few years ago which coincidentally was when I lost 3 stone in weight without dieting or changing my lifestyle in any way. My Doctor at that time said I should think myself lucky. Whilst I'm typing this I've just started to get a tingling in my fingers. Do you have any other suggestions please ?
Brief Answer:
You need other tests...
Detailed Answer:
Apologies for the late reply. I had a busy weekend and was away from my laptop.
Well I felt most of your symptoms were related to diabetes and its complications. But if you had the sugar tested fairly recently, then I will exclude it from my differential. However the paraesthesia can be from small nerve fibre dysfunction which are related to other nutrient and hormone deficiency. Those has to be tested too.
Blurry vision and balance problem that occurs periodically is definitely not from refractory error. I would like understand the circumstances before and after blurring vision episodes. I will able to judge the seriousness of this concern. In the meanwhile, I would also suggest you to plan an ophthalmologist visit (not optician).
I understand about Reynauds condition. But the changes are mainly appreciated with temperature changes and not while gripping.
Knee giving away and muscle wasting are not very specific symptoms. And therefore I will not be able to arrive at a conclusion straight away. It needs to be evaluated.
In a nutshell, all your complaints may or may not be related to each other. The only connection that I was able to figure out was diabetes, which seems less likely now. Long standing hypertension can explain episodes of blurry vision and balance issues, but not the rests. Therefore in this context, I recommend that you visit your local physician and get investigated. I would order for complete hemogram, serum electrolyte, vitamin b12 / vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, liver and renal panel tests. A brain scan may or may not be needed.
It doesn't seem to be a scary / sinister condition from your description. So do not worry.
Hope I am clear. I will be glad to answer your follow ups.
Regards
You need other tests...
Detailed Answer:
Apologies for the late reply. I had a busy weekend and was away from my laptop.
Well I felt most of your symptoms were related to diabetes and its complications. But if you had the sugar tested fairly recently, then I will exclude it from my differential. However the paraesthesia can be from small nerve fibre dysfunction which are related to other nutrient and hormone deficiency. Those has to be tested too.
Blurry vision and balance problem that occurs periodically is definitely not from refractory error. I would like understand the circumstances before and after blurring vision episodes. I will able to judge the seriousness of this concern. In the meanwhile, I would also suggest you to plan an ophthalmologist visit (not optician).
I understand about Reynauds condition. But the changes are mainly appreciated with temperature changes and not while gripping.
Knee giving away and muscle wasting are not very specific symptoms. And therefore I will not be able to arrive at a conclusion straight away. It needs to be evaluated.
In a nutshell, all your complaints may or may not be related to each other. The only connection that I was able to figure out was diabetes, which seems less likely now. Long standing hypertension can explain episodes of blurry vision and balance issues, but not the rests. Therefore in this context, I recommend that you visit your local physician and get investigated. I would order for complete hemogram, serum electrolyte, vitamin b12 / vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, liver and renal panel tests. A brain scan may or may not be needed.
It doesn't seem to be a scary / sinister condition from your description. So do not worry.
Hope I am clear. I will be glad to answer your follow ups.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
OK I'll get myself an appointment with my local Doctor & see what she can do for me. I was only worried as I have a friend who as soon as she hears someone's symptoms likes to look them up on the web and then get them to go to a Doctor & hounds them until they do : she said my symptoms sounded like Parkinsons or MS. I of course said she was wrong though I must admit in a few cases she's 'diagnosed' things right. Unfortunately, I can't afford to go private which is why I decided to use this service myself.
Thanks for listening.
Thanks for listening.
Brief Answer:
MS and parkinsonism are progressive condition...
Detailed Answer:
At this age and with the back ground history you provided, I wouldn't think of MS or Parkinson's as the first diagnosis. Moreover
1. MS commonly presents much earlier. 20 - 30 years is the average time period when the firs symptoms of MS presents.
2. Parkinsons classically have stiffness and slowness as the presenting complaint.
Though I cannot absolutely rule the condition without physical examination and investigations, in my opinion MS and parkinson's are two condition that I would least associate you with. So stay rest assured. Anxiety and panic of medical illness can add to your problems.
See your doctor and things will look more bright to you.
If you have no more queries, please close this discussion.
Good luck and good health!!
MS and parkinsonism are progressive condition...
Detailed Answer:
At this age and with the back ground history you provided, I wouldn't think of MS or Parkinson's as the first diagnosis. Moreover
1. MS commonly presents much earlier. 20 - 30 years is the average time period when the firs symptoms of MS presents.
2. Parkinsons classically have stiffness and slowness as the presenting complaint.
Though I cannot absolutely rule the condition without physical examination and investigations, in my opinion MS and parkinson's are two condition that I would least associate you with. So stay rest assured. Anxiety and panic of medical illness can add to your problems.
See your doctor and things will look more bright to you.
If you have no more queries, please close this discussion.
Good luck and good health!!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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