watervole | Vertigo

I've been suffering from vertigo for the last two or three months and have no real idea of what is causing it.

My balance is slightly off kilter a lot of the time. Sometimes it goes away for a while, but it always comes back again. It's wrecking my ability to concentrate, is making me miss several morris dance sessions, and occasionally produces bouts of mild nausea.

The doctor originally tried to treat it with ear drops and then a steroid cream on the outer ear (there was some inflammation there) but it's becoming clear that it's actually something wrong in the inner ear/Eustachian tubes. I get a sense of pressure on the ear drum most of the time. Occasionally yawning helps. Blowing my nose generally makes it worse.

We're trying an anti-histamine nasal spray this week, but I don't think the doctor or I have great hopes of it doing the trick. Still, you never know - maybe some kind of allergic reaction is causing mucus inside the ears.

If this fails, then it's probably time to get referred to a specialist.

If any of my medical friends have any suggestions, then I'm all ears...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ear + balance issues = possibly Labrynthitis?

I was going to suggest labyrinthitis too, which is what I have. It doesn't sound quite like I have, but that doesn't necessarily rule it out. Although the doctors were able to diagnose it easily (in fact two of them said it was definitely labyrinthitis), so I think there are usually definitely clear symptoms for that, which you obviously don't have.

According to stuff I've seen on the internet, if the doctor can't help and an ENT can't help, the next person up is a neuto-otologist - which is someone who specialises in dizziness. Of course, whether there are any outside of London is something else...

I only have some of the symptoms for layrinthitis. No nystagmus, though I don't know how common it is to have it. No tinnitus either.

tracey_jane has been having dizzy problems, but normally related to when she moves her head in a particular way. Her doctor thinks it's benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. That means there is a loose particle in one of the tubes in her inner ear that keeps moving when her head stops, and thus affects her balance.

That was a candidate for me initially, but the exercises to shift it were ineffective. You can find them on You-tube and it can provide an instant cure in some cases..

The ear pressure has pretty well ruled it out as a candidate now.

The doctor tried the exercise on Tracey initially but it didn't work. Apparently they only work in about half the cases. She is getting more used to controlling it though. I think her body is effectively subconsciously not moving the head as much in the way that causes the problem. She's only had it a couple of weeks though, so still early days. It has put a stop to our dancing lessons though

Steve,

I've been doing more reading on vertigo and there are a couple of other things to look at for Tracey. Make sure you see the post I'm doing later today.

The only thing I can offer is my sympathy and *BIG HUGS*.I hope you will proper help. It must be more than unpleasant, to put it mild.

Have to agree with current respondents: definitely sounds like Labyrinthitis. Often symptoms are worse with sinusitis or any sort of nasal congestion/infection, which unfortunately increases pain levels.

I find that if I feel a sinus headache building up, taking Sudafed Max asap can stop most sypmtoms from developing or worsening. I sometimes use 4Head, which is an over the counter product: the menthol in it helps to relieve blocked sinuses without taking any meds. Watch out for scent triggers as well, which can make the nausea worse and keep some E-bands handy.

Hope things work out for you.

Yes, labyrinthitis. I had it once (please god never again!) but I didn't have any tinnitus with it - just dizzy, sickness, disorientation and so on - many of the things that you've described. With me it went away of its own accord after about 3 months, but was pretty horrible while I had it.

I was going to suggest sudafed or similar decongestants. Might not work but shouldn't do any harm so definitely worth a try.

I had something like this a few years ago when I picked up some damn virus.

I'd be walking along the pavement and suddenly start wandering off sideways until I realised what was going on and corrected, but having to actually concentrate on *walking* was weird...!

That sounds like an ear infection of some sort to me, a specialist sounds a good plan if the doctor's not getting anywhere.

My mum was diagnosed with Menieres disease a number of years ago, though now they think it might be vertigo. She takes stugeron, the over-the-counter seasickness remedy which helps a lot with the symptoms. One of the other things that affects her is water intake, though I can't remember if its drinking too much water or not enough that has the biggest effect (can ask tomorrow).

I presume you've had a recent eye test, changes in vision can sometimes affect balance.

I had a recent eye test for the contact lenses.

Menieres usually affects one ear more than the other. I checked that early on as my Grandad had it. It seems unlikely in my case.

Like you say, I think an infection may be the most likely cause.

It's difficult to really judge without seeing you but the suggestion already made about Stugeron is a good one. Go to a chemist and ask for any motion sickness remedy with cinnarizine in, and then take 30mg three times a day for a week or so and see if that settles it. It doesn't sound sinister, it doesn't sound positional and it doesn't sound like Menieres; however, as far as the latter is concerned, you could try reducing salt and caffeine and see if that makes a difference. Good luck with it; the next step normally would be to refer to ENT/vertigo clinic.

Salt and caffeine are almost non-existent in my diet.

Many travel-sickness remedies make me feel queasy, so I'm reluctant to try that option.

Oddly enough, exercise (when I'm not feeling too wobbly to attempt it) sometimes seems to help.

If exercise helps and you're not keen on cinnarizine (it might suit you; a lot of travel sickness remedies contain hyoscine instead which many people don't tolerate well) then search for vestibular rehabilitation exercises and try those instead...

Having had a quick peek, it appears that the form of vestibular rehabilitation
exercises to try depends on the cause of the dizzyness. Have already tried Epley manuever, and BPPV seems unlikely as a cause - I'm still dizzy when I'm stationary.

However, I guess trying the Cawthorne-Cooksey will do no harm and might help.

Thanks.

Vertigo is not pleasant. Hope the specialist is able to sort you out.

Careful hugs.

Vertigo

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