Does this sound like Vestibular Neuritis?

Ears, nose and throat
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Hello, this is my first time posting.  I have a serious health issue, but the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint what it is.  Basically, I've had six weeks of dizziness and unsteadiness.  It sounds like Vestibular Neuritis, but please let me know what you think.

On June 9th I got some kind of stomach flu or food poisoning.  I had severe vomiting and diarrhea.  Other than a canker sore under my toungue, I was starting to feel better.  I was exercising again and working again.

While walking across a bridge in the park on June 14th, I suddenly got a fear of heights.  I felt the same sensation the next day while sitting at a traffic light, that happens to be on top of an overpass.  I felt panicky.

As the week went on, I was getting panicky in the car every time I had to stop at a light.  I had to look down at the sterring wheel because the cars criss-crossing in front of me was making me disoriented.

Then I began to get dizzy spells throughout the day, plus I felt a permanent unsteadyness 24 hours a day.  A lot of times I had to concentrate hard to walk.  My eyes were not going where I wanted them to go.  Work really brought on the systems.  I started missing days.  I also had to have people drive me around to places. One time I had heart palpatations when there were a lot of people around me.  Eventually I asked for a leave of absense.

On the 26th, a dizzy spell got so bad I had to go to the hospital.  It was mainly disorientation, not like the room was spinning. I was still able to walk around the hopital, but very slowly, and had to concentrate hard to do it.  MRI showed no tumors or stroke.  They said it was a middle ear issue, perscribe some medicine and sent me on my way.

So far I've seen one ENT, but other appts are coming for nearologist and another ENT.  My hearing test was perfect.  The ENG/caloric test came out normal, which surprised me.  He suggested I might have Mal de Debarquement Syndrome.

I became became imprisoned in my home, and I started to feel physically weak as the days went on.  After learning about vestibular exercises on the Internet, I decided to start doing them on my own.  They seem to have helped with my balance and with my eye-darting issues.  I now go for very long walks. I am starting to drive again too.  However, everything feels totatlly different than it did before this all began.

There were a couple of nights where my brain was doing odd things. I got hot flashes (even though I'm a guy) and heart palpatations in the middle of the night one time.

My persistent systems right now are:

-suceptible to dizziness when on the computer, watching TV, doing quick head turns, being inside stores

-high-pitch ringing in my left ear

-fullness in my right ears that comes and goes, almost like there is fluid in them

-harder to concentrate

-unsteadiness as I move.  Sometimes it's a "bobble"; othertimes it's like I'm leaning in one direction or another.  Sometimes it's almost normal.

-sensitivity to sound, like the bath water running

-misidentification of sounds.  I sometimes think the garbage truck is outside, only to figure out it's our air conditioner.

Let me know what you think.  I would like to begin living a normal life again: return to work, use a computer and watch TV normally, be able to drive long distances without worry.  I'm thinking it's VN, but I did not have an "acute" spinning phase, plus the caloric test was normal.  The canker sore may be relevant because I've read that the herpes virus can attack the nerve. 

 

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I would not drive for a start. It is too risky for you and others.

You need to see a neurological Otologist as many are advising that on here.

It is a terrible thing to have and you have my sympathy.

i woke one morning to get up,and every time I tried to stand up I fell backwards on the bed.

It did improve but never completely went. Also, when I had minor surgeries It seemed to stir it up.

Mine was diagnosed as BPPV but I have wondered if there could be more than one cause. 

You need to see some who can help you and perhaps even some support.

All the best as you try to get better.

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Hi Kevin,

This is pretty well identical to me except the canker. Except I'm nearly 6 months in and no better really. I had all the ENT and balance and calorific etc etc tests and they were all "normal", MRI etc ok. I was told VN but I just don't know. I can't go on like this thats for sure but I am now failing to get anywhere with the GP, consultant etc. I also get some odd tingling in my hands and face but this is possibly stress or anxiety. I've no idea to help you I wish I could, I seem to have exhausted what I can do. I have a clinically irrelevent underactive thyroid but told it shouldnt do this so aside MS or other nasty I just dont know! Sorry...

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Hi Kevin! Yes, that does sound like what I have which was diagnosed as Labrynthitis/VN. I've been at it for over a year now and can help you as much as I can if you need it. Mine hasn't gone away fully but it's definitely gotten better.

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I would also say Kevin, I go for long walks everyday (5 miles or so) and do the exercises, I also got the palps which I guess is a side effect caused by the anxiety. I take a magnesium supplement now for this, it seems to work but could be a placebo.

I have good days and feel ok but then wham, its back. I find conversation difficult and have pretty much withdrawn as I need peace and quiet. Its a crap existence to be honest but all relative I guess. All your persistent symptoms I have. The ENT guy said it was classic VN. "When will it end" ? Shrug of shoulders!! Keep doing the exercises....he said.

Also I did question him how I could have perfect hearing and my ENG/calorific tests be completely normal. He skipped around that one...! I'm at a loss. 

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This sounds identical to what I've been going through since the 3rd week of May. I also have a constant cracking noise going on with my right ear, and slight numbness feelings in my face.

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Numbness is not good. Have you had that checked?

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Hi Kevin ,I've been as you are now for 4yrs ,Mdds ,I've tried everything to straighten myself from the Bobble as you describe yours as  and a big zero to date  I've never had any spinning  ( touch wood ) just the being on a boat sensation ,I've done exercise ,got to the point I've now stopped .

   I have tinnitus ,sounds like you have that maybe ,many with balance  have this as well ,neck ache is another one with many of us .

   With Mdds we are okay at driving ,doesent affect our balance ,it's only on walking ,even to sitting in a chair for some ,I get that  but never in a car  down to concentrating my husband says .

   Have good look at post ,see your not alone .With having tinnitus. I don't like to answer a phone. The pitch can be unbearable in people's voices ,what I will ask ,do you or have you had any allergies  that's another thread of the symptoms with us like Sinisitis as an example .

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Mdds ? Sorry, I read so many abbreviations I forget them!

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Chris Mdds is called Mal de Debarquement Syndrome .Get so use to it as just Mdds .

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Thanks, yes that is a good way of describing it....interesting it is an actual condition too!

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Vertigo is not a fear of heights Kevin vertigo is going dizzy when you move your head I have it and it's terrible !

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My vertigo started as labrythitus an inner ear infection no pain nothing everything turned upside down it has left me with vertigo I have had this since January 6th and still have it tho not as bad but it's there all the time it's very annoying actually but I cope with it but don't move my head quickly or I might fall lol ! It can last for years apparently!!! 

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Chris it has been said it can just go ,think on the Veda site this has been mentioned .Think it's good to share any info ,we get told about any of these ,as we all seen different drs worldwide ,all it takes is one good Dr I say .

   Miserable condition for anyone ,how anyone can work is beyond me  its a disability for sure .

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Hi Kevin  in your list of things that you experience i can relate to all of them.  I have been given 2 diagnosis and told not to confuse them as they are separate issues, on is BPPV which involves turning over in bed and moving my head in certain ways that causes intense dizzinees, the other is silent migraines that cause visual disturbances and balance problems.  Maybe you need to see a neuro otologist as i did who told me not to get the 2 conditions mixed up and has started me on a neuropathic medication to reduce the silent migraine.  Unfortunatley only an expert in inner ear disorders can specifically help as everyone may have a different condition as yours seems to have been triggered by walking over the bridge.

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Thanks for all the replies so far.  A few points to make.  I don't really feel that fear of heights anymore; I think it was just something my mind did when it got the false sense I was swaying while on a bridge.  I do plan on eventually seeing an otologist; when I tried to book an appt they said I had get a referal through their ENT first.  I also have a nearologist appt coming up.  It seems weird that many of you had normal caloric tests.  I thought the whole point of VN was because one of the nerves has a deficit.

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That's what I thought which is why I asked for an mri as ms and a host of other things can cause our problems. The ent I saw just based his diagnosis on the fact I had had flu the week before, perhaps he is right but he couldn't explain why I had normal results after three hours of testing . I'm not convinced.

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Obviously, I'm not a doctor. But I have been through something similar. I'm 98% better now. It's been months. It so happens I did have the spinning once or twice at the beginning. But mostly it was dizziness, vertigo, unbalance.  I did do the Epley Maneuver exercise from the internet, everyday for 5 or so weeks. It helped enormously. But one thing my Physical Therapist told me was that you have to know which ear is the culprit and do the exercise for that.

I went to an otalaryngologist (head and neck doctor)--no one on this site seems to have done that. He tested me up and down and my hearing. He concluded I have BPPV. It's probably the same as Vestibular Neuritis or in that category. It's Benign Positional Paroxysm (or something) Vertigo.

It has to do with the ears and the eyes. The ears have 3 canals with liquid. If a particle breaks off from the nearby bridge (this is between the canals and the cochlear) and drifts into one of the canals, it completely throws off your balance. Also, when I was tested, my eyes showed that my vision curved to one side. No wonder I was dizzy!

The doctor recommended Vestibular Therapy, which involves diagonostic tests and prescribed exercises. I went about 5 times; very dizzying while doing it, but the therapist said that's natural. Then she sent me home to get rid of the rest of the problem--giving me exercises to do for 3 months, starting often and lowering to less often.

I have been doing them and--I'm afraid to jinx it--I am 99% better. I say that because during my home time I had a relapse for about 3 days. I called the therapist who simplified a few of my exercises. I did. And now I forget I have it.  I say "have" because apparently I have the relapse kind. Had it twice before in crisis times of my life (and now I've had 2 other crises when this episode came on). One thing more:  if I get out of bed too fast or turn my body quickly to one side, I get remnants of dizziness. So when approaching those two moves I always take it slow. Also: many on this site say they've had panic attacks and depression; I didn't. But I['m wondering if it could be from the awfulness of the syndrome. I really hope you get proper therapy and can find an otalaryngologist.  Best.

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Hi Marion. No VN is completely different to BPPV...epley has no impact on VN as it's not the crystals out of place but rather damage to the nerve or balance system itself. The brain needs retraining to compensate for the problem.

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otalaryngologist (head and neck doctor)--

Just wanted to point out that this specialist is an ENT.