I am 20 years old, a musician, and I have experienced tinnitus for a majority of my life. I have been suffering form depression and anxiety for five years or so, and have episodes of vertigo only when I go to sleep at night. They do not happen when I am awake and about during the day. The anxiety and depression bring on the vertigo, which, in turn, makes me feel more depressed and anxious. My levels of anxiety and depression return to normal after the episodes, however.
The episodes last for about ten minutes where I am experiencing vertigo for ten or fifteen seconds at a time, then it subsides for a minute or two, and then I go back to feeling the vertigo. What it feels like is I am rolling backwards and falling forwards simultanously, and when I open my eyes, they are twitching back and forth, never up and down. Again, this only happens when I am attempting to fall asleep at nighttime. This also does not happen everyday or even often. However, the episodes have become more frequent because I am tapering down on lorazepam, a benzodiazepine anxiety medication. While I was at my peak dose of two milligrams a day over three years or so, not once did I experience any vertigo.
My tinnitus is often unnoticeable to the point that I question whether I still have it or not, but then I plug my ears and I am still able to hear a light ringing. I would not be able to hear it throghout the day and only when I plug my ears would it be obvious it was still there. I didn't enev have to turn on music when I fell asleep because it was so unnoticeable. However, these past few days have been concerning because I have experienced heightened levels of tinnitus while I also experienced an episode of vertigo. I have also felt kind of floaty.
Another concern of mine is that my great-grandmother had Meniere's Disease. It was unilateral, though. My tinnitus affects both of my ears rather equally and I do not have any significant hearing loss (I do have some hearing loss due to my habit of not taking care of my ears in the past while practicing or playing shows). I wear proper ear protection at every opportunity, now, and have been doing so for many years.
Needless to say, I am concerned I may be afflicted with Meniere's Disease purely due to the genetic predisposition to it, as well as my host of coinciding symptoms. I am trying to consider all possibilities, but this is a possibility I cannot ignore.
Thank you
aathies
To add, the vertigo does not make me feel sick or nauseous, nor is it in any way incapacitating.
Hello,welcome to the site,I have a light ringing in both ears and if I'm stressed or anxious it gets lound and is on and off for 3-4 days,I hear it at night when its quiet or if my ears are plugged. I would go for a hearing test just to check it out and maybe tell your doctor who can refer you to a ent doctor who can help.I'm having severe dizziness which is 24/7 for 6 weeks now but having tests as ears are very complicated as I've found out,good luck,lisa
I have tinnitus some days worse than others. Stress contributes to the intensity. I don't often get vertigo but when I do it's for a couple of days. Doctor said low salt diet and I notice a worsening when I eat sugary foods like candy. I listen to tones on a website called tinnitus synergy- just google it or google dr Jay Hobbs. It's a wonderful help listening to different tones. Let me know how you feel after a month. It takes awhile. Good Luck
Hello aathies,
Have you consulted a counsellor for the depression and anxiety? I believe stress is a major factor in most of these episodes. I'm confused you say the vertigo only occurs when you are asleep. How is that? if you're asleep how would you know that you had it? Does it wake you up? In which case it affects you while you're awake. Does the room spin or the bed appear to be moving?
The counsellor will get you talking about your problems and help you rationalise it.
Best wishes
Pauline
Hi and thanks for posting.
My G.P. Thinks I have M.D. Although not refered to ENT yet as trying betahistine with some success.
I am also having vertigo in my sleep which wakes me up and I find the room turning upside down as I open my eyes, it makes me feel quite anxious! On the nights this happens I dream of things rolling, or becoming circular and wake several times to the upside-down thing. It's like being in a scary movie sometimes. Best wishes to all x
Iam a musician as well, a singer. 8 years ago i had a very bad vertigo attack that lasted up to 2 weeks. I was intially admitted to the Hospital bc i could not walk at all. My left ear completely went def. It took several months before i was steady on my feet and i got a lil hearing back but my low mid ranges were at a moderate hearing loss. Tinitutus has never stopped since that one episode. 2 years ago my audiogram showed bilateral hearing loss with mild low mid range hearing loss.
Through the years only a few really bad vertigo attacks occured. But have experienced imbalance for up to 3 months at a time with also headaches,blurred vision and cognitive issues.
Now seeing a new ENT bc the other basically told me it was meniers and now bilateral and would only increase the serc i had to take.
New ENt says he doesn't think its meniers but a vastibular disorder. Water test with ears and Eng testing showed normal vastibular functioning. Awaiting to see what now. Learned some vastibular excercises so when i start to feel imbalanced i can try to overcome them. Fatigue and stress can provoke these episodes so i have had to quit music for now bc i need to rest in order to work.
Anxiety i do believe is a part of these issues. Councilling and stress reduction like breathing techniques has been helping.
I hope you find your answers
This doesn't sound like menieres to me. There are key differences. You need to talk to your gp, or ent specialist.
Good Afternoon
Sorry to hear of your difficulties .
I've had Menieres disease diagnosed since 1998.
Usually Menieres is characterised by unilateral hearing loss with a distinct audiometry profile .
Rotational spin or vertigo and tinnitus and or pressure discomfort in the ear similar to that experienced when taking off landing in a plane .
What you describe sounds like benign postural vertigo that occurs often whilst laying in bed especially when turning over.
Have you discussed this with your GP ?
Hope this is of some help to you
Best wishes Robert
Hi I have menieres and I have had severe attack whilst sleeping the episode wakes you up and everything is certainly spinning only the tablet helps me and plenty of water... The low salt diet is hard as just about everything you eat has salt and my nurse at my gp surgery could not help as she had never heard of menieres!