symptoms 15 years constant heavy feeling in head and rocking

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hi all

I saw a neurologist 15 years ago and a mri showed an arterial loop pressed against my cochlear nerve. he said the only solution was a brain operation to place felt between the artery and the cochlear nerve which i refused. Ive learnt to live with the symptoms but if there are new developments id love to hear. My symptoms are a constant heavy feeling in my head, I don't get the spinning feeling but i feel like my head is constantly rocking. I also can't concentrate my eyes when reading. It kind of feels like my eyes move from side to side. Ive had tinnitus for longer than 20 years. I did read about the epley manouvere but im assuming it wouldnt work in my case. any help would be great.

2

There is a new development.  You do not need surgery for this, for what is know called Vestibular Paroxysmia.  Your doctor can prescribe for you Carbamazepine, which will help relieve the symptoms.  You can have your doctor contact me if he needs further details.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

3

Many thanks Dr Papathanasiou, there are many of us with longterm problems always searching for new developments.

4

Tess  i recently started the Epley Maneuver and Bradt-Daroff exercises after 4 yrs imbalance, The spins had come back.  Those exercises are simple, look online, I do not think they can hurt you.  I try everything.

5

Hi Eleftherios  4 years ago i was diagnosed with vestibular neuritis and started vrt .It made little difference and after a year had  another mri plus all the oto tests  which showed nothing new and was told it was uncompensated vn which was rare so was shown more vrt . It still made virtually no difference. However for an unrelated condition i had an xray of my neck which showed 3 herniated discs .Iwas referred to neurology for an opinion as to if it could be related to the vn .they  did neuro tests and found when i pointed my tongue out it whent to the left. they did mri of head and neck with and without dye .At the next consultation they said it was inconclusive and would see me in a year but if i noticed wasting on left side of my tongue to come back sooner . i asked  if they saw anything related to  vn  they said the herniated discs had nothing to do with vn i though arthritis in the neck could affect blood supply to inner ear . your opinion would be appreciated  regards peter

6

Yes, vestibular neuritis is not related to the neck, with the former thought to result from a viral infection of the vestibular nerve.

The tongue pointing to the left is important.  You need to continue the follow-up appointments with your neurologist.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

7

Thanks for replying elefhterio. I looked at  Carbamazepine m today,  but the side effects worry me, especially the cognitive symptoms such as memory loss. Have you noticed many of these symptoms in your patients?

8

Hi Arria. From what I have read these manouevers won't help me i believe as the vertigo is coming from a pressed cochlear nerve.

9

You will be given a relatively low dose.

All medicines have side effects, it is a question of benefit versus side effect.  If carbamazepine has significant side effects in your case (because each patient reacts differently) we can change to another medication (e.g. Oxcarbazepine).

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology