ENT question

Oh dear that's awful. Thanks for replying.

I'm hoping you might be able to help me I was diagnosed with Meniers about 10 years ago but last week the ENT consultant decided it could be Migraine Aura so I am now waiting to see a Neurologist and I was just wondering if they both have the same symptoms ??

Have you done an audiogram?  This will help differentiate between the two.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

I had 2 tests 1 revealed my hearing has deteriorated ( which I knew it had ) and the other revealed negative pressure the ENT Doctor said they weren't relevant 

Was the hearing loss high frequency or low frequency, in one ear or both ears?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Both ears but right ear the worst as far as frequency sorry don't recall them saying anything 

Can you find out?  This is very important.  This way I will be able to tell you whether you have Meniere's Disease or Vestibular Migraine?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

I will get in touch with my GP see if they have received the report yet, they hadn't on Friday I will get back to you on Monday. Thank you 

I was told, along with my Meniers and bppv, that I also have a vessel loop in my right ear. My ent thinks it's serious but the skull base ent says not to worry about it. I don't get as ill as some other people, but I am concerned. What do you think?

It seems unlikely to have all three, although not impossible.  Are your vertigo symptoms triggered by something or spontaneous, and if triggered, by what?  Also, how frequent are your episodes?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Thanks for your reply. It would be great to have an audiology referral in between waiting for an ENT appointment.

This is why I am doubtful if my Meniers diagnosis. I did have an MRI showing the vessel loop. I do not have any food triggers that I know of. I only get true vertigo a few times a year. Mostly I have tinnitus and my balance is bad. I cannot turn my head and look under anything. I will fall over. If I look left, I walk left. So I really have to be mindful of every step. I still work and drive. I just modify my movements at work. I still think this is all related to a car accident I had in 2007. Symptoms started within a year of that.

is the tinnitus on the same side as the vessel loop?  When you look left, is there hearing loss at the same time when you loose balance, and is this hearing loss on the same side as the vessel loop?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus. No increased hearing loss when looking left. I have increased vertigo if I lay on my right side. That is where the loop is. It just takes a small push to knock me off balance. Like passing someone and accidentally getting bumped. Looking up too far throws me off.

Finding such a loop can be coincidental sometimes, and not always related to a patient's symptoms.  Because you have bilateral symptoms, is tends to seem unlikely that the loop is the cause of your problems.  Also, the low frequency of vertigo episodes also argues against this loop as the problem.  What did your audiograms show?  In what frequencies (high or low) is the hearing loss in?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

 

I will have to check on my next visit. I think it may be the high tones. The skull base doc said the same thing. Just a coincidence to find the loop.