Is clumsiness a medical problem?

Dr. Gott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:01:24 +0000

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 72-year-old female with osteoporosis, for which I take Fosamax; curvature of the spine from childhood; and arthritis in my right knee, right hip and in at least five spots on my spine. I also take medication for gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol and severe sleeping problems. I’m 4 feet 5 inches tall (lost 2-1/2 inches to osteoporosis) and weigh about 160 pounds.
In 2007, I took a nasty fall and hit the back of my head on the counter, drawer pulls and marble tile floors of my kitchen. I put ice on my head and went to my local pharmacist, who told me not to wash my hair for four days and everything would be fine. (We were on vacation on the island of Crete, and there were no doctors on call.) When I returned home, my doctor ordered an MRI, which was negative, but I now have a permanent soft spot on the back of my head.
I later went to an ENT specialist, who ordered a balance test. It revealed my two eyes do not work together. I was found to have no depth perception.
In 2008, while on vacation, I missed a step on the bus and fell onto the concrete pavement. The Budapest doctor on duty said I broke my arm and wrist, but he was more concerned about the large hematoma on my right forehead. I signed a waiver because I refused hospitalization, got some ice for my head, and boarded a plane back to the United States. The next day, my doctor ordered an MRI that again was negative.
That same year, I got tangled up in the hose and cord of my vacuum cleaner at our house in Crete. My head hit the wall and immediately bled profusely in the area of the 2007 fall. I went to the pharmacist, who told me not to wash my hair for four days. On my return to the United States, I had a third MRI, which was negative.
In 2009, I missed the last step of a stool in my kitchen, hit my head, put ice on it, and went to a 24-hour clinic. I refused a CT scan and had tests done to make sure that the arteries in my neck were not blocked. They weren’t.
I’m either the world’s largest klutz or have the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Is there anything my doctors could have missed that would be appropriate to do now, two years later? Your thoughts would be appreciated.
DEAR READER: Initially, stay out of foreign countries and your kitchen, and wash your hair whenever you please! Seriously, though, I recommend you take all your X-ray films and written reports to a neurologist or neurosurgeon for a second opinion. You have certainly had an inordinate amount of head trauma, and there is always the possibility someone has missed something along the way. Rule out tumors, clots, abnormalities and blocked arteries. Then follow up with an ophthalmologist in regards to your eye situation. A loss of depth perception could certainly be contributing to the falls.
To provide related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports ” Osteoporosis” and “Sleep/Wake Disorders.” Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

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Is clumsiness a medical problem?