I was diagnosed by my ENT with MD. I have a question mine is strange, I eat a very strict diet low sodium no sugar (keto/Paleo) My MD is strange my hearing with get muffled on one side (low end out) and that will come and go with no MD attacks. At time my hearing in both ears is perfect. My last attack 3 days before my right ear got super itchy and then my hearing got muffed and distorted no low and high end causing a vibration in my head (also can't pop that ear with yawing). I had an attack last night, they always last 2-3 hours in the middle of the night. Once the attack is over the distortion is completely gone and my hearing in only about 3-5 dB off between the ears. I also have TMJ and am not using a splint to try and fix this. Any ideas if maybe this isn't MD, my ENT just looking in my ears and said based on the symptoms it is MD, I am praying he is wrong. Thanks for any info you can provide.
The only way to tell for sure if you have MD or another vestibular illness is to undergo balance disorder testing. This is usually done at a University Medical Hospital. Are you in the USA? If so, I recommend you contact the ENT department of a nearby University medical center and inquire how to schedule the test.
By the way, did the ENT you saw administer an audiogram (hearing test)? Without this a MD diagnosis could very well be incorrect.
He did do a hearing test, and the right side was diminished, but after an Md attack my hearing returns to normal. I'll look into the balance disorder testing, thanks really hoping it isn't MD.
Michael,
There is a good article “Types of Vestibule Disorders “ at the VEDA web sight. You may want to check it out.
Regards, Jim
The only problem with this site is that specific enough to help me to diagnose the exact cause.
Just thought it would give you some information on the different types of vestibule disorders. I do have Meniere’s, and the exact cause is not known. That is what makes Meniere’s and other vestibular syndromes so tricky.
Good of luck to you.
Jim
How long have you had this? In the beginning md does all sorts of things weird
High Michael,
My M.D. started the same way as you described ..
i would have an attack and feel fine when the attack
settled with no apparent loss of hearing only a slightly
wet sensation in the ear plus it felt like i needed to
hold my nose to pop the ear which is a common symptom
of M.D..I do not want to alarm you but over the years i
slowly went almost death in my infected ear..i dont no
how long your symptoms have been going on but it
sounds like you have the signs of an hearing disorder..
If the symptoms a relatively new then an E.N.T. would not
be so quick to diagnose M.D...I have had M.D. for 17 Years
and it took the E.N.T. 3 Years to commit them selves to a
diagnoses of M.D. ..The loss of hearing for me has been
very slow but it can be quick for some people.. I believe
it is the attacks and the inner ear fluids that damages the hearing..
Try not to worry to much if it is early days then your hearing
needs to be monitored by the E.N.T. and as i understand it
most hearing illness involves vertigo and hearing loss and
can be cured ...all the best...
I just started last year, I have a vertigo attack in bed about once ever 4 months with no other symptoms. The ENT said it sounds like MD after my first attack, no other testing. except he said I have no fluid behind my ear drum when my hearing is diminished.
My ENT doctor said because I had vertigo, ringing in my one ear during the attack, and diminished hearing in that ear with was MD. No tests other than a hearing test and him looking my ear. I heard that TMJ can mimic MD, and I have TMJ. The problem is I feel like the doctor just gave an immediate diagnostic with little (3 minutes) of testing. It is strange that this vertigo just started and it only happens at night at about 1:30am no other times. It only lasts for 2 hours and then it is gone for 4 months. The doctor I went to is a specialist with ENT, but it seems like he just called it MD because of the three symptoms.
Michael,
Meniere’s is usually characterized by four symptoms that occur with varying degrees of intensity.
Vertigo - An intense sense of spinning that is usually episodic and can range from mild to severe.
The vertigo attacks of Meniere’s are rotational and the duration of each episode must be
At least 20 minutes in order to be classified as Meniere’s.
Hearing loss - Fluctuating, low frequency, sensorineural hearing loss that becomes worse during
attacks, and may permanently deteriorate over time.
Tinnitus - Ringing or roaring noise in the ears (typically a low tone).
Aural fullness- A sense of fullness in the ear.
Jim
Question, I only get the fullness...which happens before an attack (sometimes) during the attack there is no fullness. Also I only get a slight ringing in the right ear during this fullness. During an attack there is no fullness and not a ringing but a rushing sound. Once the attack is over there is no ringing and no fullness. Sorry about the questions but I am trying to get a better understanding of this. Is it genetic since it doesn't run in my family. I would be the first case.
Michael,
My understandings, from what I have read, there can be a genetic component. You my want to get a second opinion and read up as much as you can on the subject.
Jim
I have been trying to do research and there is a lot of info but it is hard to make it specific. A question for you do you have symptoms all the time from MD. I once ever 4 months my hearing gets messed up for 3 days or so and then I have the attack and then nothing. Everything is normal no symptoms at all. There is a faint ringing in my ears but only if I plug them up otherwise hearing is perfect. That is why I am confused since most people with MD seem to deal with it more often than I do.
Micheal,
This syndrome, as I have laid out, has four specific identifying symptoms. How it develops can be different for every Meniere’s suffer. My first attack was in 2000. Lasted about ten days, slight symptoms for another couple weeks and did not come back again for thirteen years. During that thirteen years I did not have ant symptoms. Once it came back the symptoms have progressively worsened. I do and have had Meniere’s since 2000. I have made major life style changes and can manage my symptoms most of the time. Good days bad days. Meniere’s is not a one size fits all syndrome. Please get a second opinion, and keep doing your homework.
Jim
Agree withJim....when one first came on I had whooshing sounds in my ear no dizziness or drops....only whooshing for quite awhile and the whooshing sound wold change form time to time to ringing or roaring then back to whooshing or tiu=innitus.....then all of a sudden I had my first dizzy spell sweating like crazy trip to er where they gave me two bags of fluid said was dehydrated..(I ran a lot) in those days.....then no spell for a year or so but still had the noise issue in ny ear........ I have no relatives who had it to my knowledge but hard to tell as my grandparents died when I was very very young....get to an ENT and rule out other causes.
I am going to get a second opinion. Thanks for all of your help. hoping it isn't MD but if it is mine seems more calm than most. Minus the 4 times a year at 2 in the morning part. Thanks
High Michael,
It does seem strange that your attacks are always at night..
It would seem that something your doing in the evening or
night is the trigger to your attacks this could include smoking
drinking caffiene to much water intake salt stress anxiety
sleeping on one side grinding your teeth at night even sex
can add pressure to the ears ..if you run on high tsress
levels then at night is when everthing loosens up which could
act as a trigger like anxiety the body doesnt no whether to
be stressed or anxt..If i was you i would tell your G.P. how
you felt about your consultation with the E.N.T. to see what
he thinks..in the mean time keep with the diet and maybe doe
some light exercises by this i mean light stretches to releaves
stress and burns off stiffness ...remember no to people are the
the same with M.D..make sure your on betahistine i think there
also called Serc also diuretics..bendrofluemethiazide..citrezene
plus i use buccastem which im told is a mild sedertive that releaves
nausea ...hope this helps...
That is what I am thinking, I don't smoke, drink, no coffee. Doesn't happen on a sex night. I am on a low inflammation diet since recently low carbs (keto) to keep the inflammation down. I don't have more that 1g of salt a day, I track what I eat. The ENT didn't give me any betahist, he did give me a water pill but with my current diet strictness I am actually a little low on sodium (blood test confirmed) I do definitely grind my teeth at night, not during the day and I have a night guard/splint that I now wear to help with the grinding and TMJ.
One more thing I missed, one time I was at work my hearing was diminished for three days on one side and my jaw cracked loudly and painfully. Immediately I got super dizzy no room spinning of just super dizzy. It lasted for about 15 minutes and within an hour my hearing was back to normal.