Balance Issues/Dizziness for 7 weeks - 22 year old, healthy female.

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar problem. I will keep it concise.

I have, over the past year, suffered two attacks of Labrinthitis (as diagnosed by my doctor). I'd never had it before, and it was unpleasant, and knocked me out to the point i couldn't get out of bed, for 2-3 days, but then would gradually settle within the space of a week. My last attack was in January.

About 7 weeks ago now, I started feeling decidedly "off", as thought I was "coming down with something" with an intense, intense pressure on the bridge of my nose, and in my eye sockets. 6 weeks ago, I started feeling dizzy. When I say dizzy, I don't mean lightheaded or really as though the world is spinning - I suppose you would say more that my balance was off, it felt as though I was on a boat and unsteady on my feet.

I have now had this sensation for 6 weeks so far, in varying degrees. It has not been so intense that I am unable to function, unlike previous labrinthitis attacks (which is initially what I thought this was), and it comes in waves. It isn't constant, but I cannot seem to work out a pattern as to why and when it comes on.

At the beginning, I had occasional shooting pain in my right ear, which has since died down although a slight residual "fullness" is still apparent. After about 4 weeks, it did start to improve in as far as the horrible spaced out, unfocused feeling that came with it went, the pressure went away entirely, and I was left with what I can only describe as good days, and bad days of balance. I could go one day, barely feeling a thing, and wake up the next feeling awful. Tiredness certainly seemed to affect it, as did being hungover - but not always. As i said, there is no solid pattern.

Last week was my best week and I had 3 days were I was almost 100% free of any balance issues, and it was great! However, over the weekend, I have come down with a cold, and since the onset of this - the sensation is back to as bad as it was in the initial 3 weeks. i cannot believe that that is a coincidence!

A couple of interesting details however -

When I am on a moving vehicle (train, plane, car), I cannot feel the sensation at all.

The sensation is significantly worse when I am in a confined space (toilet cubicle, changing room) or when I am in a shop/supermarket.

My GP says there is nothing wrong with me, or my ears, so an infection has been ruled out.

It is important to note that while the sensation is unpleasant, and when it's bad, makes me feel incredibly nauseous, it has not been at any point so severe that it has made me fall over/changed the way I walk.

It is worse when I am standing or sitting still. Particularly standing. It eases when I walk (although not entirely) and when I move in general.

Yes, it is horrible. But it is manageable, and now that I know I can get to a state where I barely feel it, i'm really positive. But i'm just wondering if anyone has any insight?

I have no other medical issues bar an under active thyroid for which I have been on thyroxine for for 2 years now with no problems. I had my thyroid tested recently and it's function is normal.

Thanks,

Lauren

2

Hi lauren

i became dizzy completely out of the blue on Mother's Day while I took my mum out for lunch. That was nearly 6 weeks ago. For a few days, I, like you, was stuck in bed but it then eased enough and I was able to walk about and do most things. I feel pretty much off balance constantly, like you worse when I'm tired. The pressure in my ears and face has subsided but this woozy feeling is hanging on. 

Yesterday au I went for an osteopathy session and she noted my neck and upper back are extremely tight and could be a contributing factor to the wooziness. Yesterday evening the dizziness came back with a vengeance, I was sat in my living room watching tv and practically had to crawl up to bed it was so bad. I'm assuming I've had some sort of healing crisis due to the manipulations I have had done. I'm now stuck in bed again today as I feel very unsteady and just generally rubbish (but not vomiting thank goodness!) 

im getting extremely down and depressed as I feel this will never go and my anxiety levels are through the roof. I feel better travelling in a car like you as I can't notice it as much , I can't stand and queue and sitting for prolonged periods makes me worse. My dr thinks it's either vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis and am waiting to hear from

ENT. I think my anxiety levels are making it much worse for me, my dr has put me on Citalopram and I have low dose diazepam to take if I really need it. 

I can really sympathise with you, it's horrid and debilitating and because it's not a broken leg or something people can see they don't understand. I just hope I feel better soon and that you doo too! Xx 

3

Hi Babz,

You seem to have it significantly worse than I do - and I cant sympathise enough.

One thing I left out was the fact that I have also had incredible tension in my neck and shoulders since it started (I believe due to sunbconciously holding my head straight so as not to bring on an attack. Which is stupid because my head movement has no bearing on my attacks whatsoever) - however, i have recently been seeing an acupuncturist, and i can't even tell you how highly I would reccommend it. it was since i started seeing him that my dizziness started subsiding as he worked mainly on relieving the tension in my upper back.

I genuinely believe the only reason i've had a relapse is because of this cold - and I was well on the road to recovery, due to him.

i had no time for "Alternative therapies" before, but I was desparate. And it really did help, it took me 3 sessions before i started to receive the full benefits.

I'm sitting at my desk, feeling like im on a boat right now but it helps to know im not the only one out there. I hope the above is helpful and I hope you begin to repair soon. xx

4

Hi Lauren

More or less everything you describe is something I can relate to. Standing on the spot, Standing and talking and waiting in queues is vile. You have all the hallmarks of a inner ear issue. Labyrinthitis and the same can be said of Vestibular Neuronitis can also be of viral origin and not neccessarily an infection. The virus has probably been and gone and now you have been left with after effects of the damage it caused and left you with vertigo. Ask your GP to refer you to ENT

5

I'm currently in university studying acupuncture myself so I know how powerful it is. I've had hopi ear candling and reflexology too but I think I'm going to try acupuncture. I'm just very fed up. I can't work and have had to defer my exam in uni until August. I think because I'm an anxious person my anxiety is more of a problem than the wooziness, they seem to feed eachother. So I'm back to my Drs on Friday to see if they can do anything else to treat that. 

Im im just getting very fed up with myself and getting very upset as I'm a single mum with 4 kids and I feel I'm not looking after them properly. Xx

6

Thank you. That will certainly be my next step. Hopefully the damage isn't irreparable! Lx 

7

I hope you feel better soon xx

8

I'm a very angsty person also and acupuncture has been the only thing i've found that actually works. In all seriousness. A year ago I would be in an absolutely state over this, and would in turn make myself worse. I have, since I started the acupuncture, been calmer than i've ever been in my life. Hopefully you'll find the same, and it will help. You wont be like this forever, good luck with everything! xx

9

hi to all,

 have any of you tried betahistine (aka serc) for your symptoms? if so, what were your results. i have a similiar situation as you decribe. i live in the u.s. and betahistine isn't available.

thanks

steve

 

10

No I've taken stemetil and stugeron, neither one did anything to be honest. And I've also read that vestibular suppressants like those make recovery longer. I do have a low dose diazepam as I'm getting very anxious but only taking it when I really have to. I'm trying to manage using alternative therapies like massage, reflexology etc x 

11

from what i have investigated, betahistine doesn't suppress the vestibular system but increases circulation of the inner ear system. thus helping to equalize pressure gradients. may even be helpful in healing/recovery. if someone else would like to add to this that would be helpful. i am just reiterating what i've read..

 

12

I've had a read up on that and yes you're right. Im

seeing my dr on Friday so I'm going to ask about it. I'm sick of feeling rubbish all the time! X 

13

Hi Lauren,

I know it's been a while since you posted but just wondering if you had relief from your symptoms yet. I have the exact same symptoms as you (I.e. Nothing in care, train, plane but pretty bad in confined spaces). Hopefully you're free of the symptoms now. What worked for you apart from acupuncture? I've been suffering from this for 5 months now and it is really affecting everything. Thanks.

14

Hey Lauren i wanted to follow up on how you have been feeling. Ive had some of these same episodes and my Dr. Said that in times of intense stress our necks get so tight that they clench on our veins and reduce oxygen flow to the brain. Also in times of stress we often forget to breath and start shallow breathing. All this stress throws off the eye and ear inner balance. Stress is also responsible for more than 70% of diseases. Let me know how youve been.