Could it be Meiner's instead of AN?
Posted , 5 users are following.
I've had ringing in my left ear intermittently for the past year. I went to an ENT about it last week who gave me a hearing test. The results showed unilateral hearing loss in my left ear. He suggested I get an MRI to rule out an acoustic neuroma. I told him I would do that but I had a contrast MRI of the head and neck a year ago and he was able to pull that up to take a look. He and another ENT ear specialist both agreed that that was good enough and want to see me back in a year to test my hearing again. My question is this, should I be concerned? They never said if the hearing loss was really significant or minor but I'm assuming it must be minor if they only want to see me back in a year instead of six months, right?
More importantly, I'm still having constant left ear ringing ear pressure with a feeling of pressure into the left side of my throat and sometimes while sitting I'll get that floor drop out from the bottom of you kind of feeling. Could this be minor's disease? I appreciate any feedback or stories that you may have that could relate to my issue
0 likes, 23 replies
louise0703 elizabeth_03284
Posted
Hi Elizabeth, have you had a few episodes of vertigo? If not, then I'm guessing they aren't going to diagnose Menieres at this point.
That's good news for you....this condition could clear up for you.
elizabeth_03284 louise0703
Posted
I do get momentary episodes of feeling like I'm on an elevator as it's going down if that makes sense? But it only lasts for about five seconds and those happen a few times throughout the day
louise0703 elizabeth_03284
Posted
I had this for a few years, kept getting told it was anxiety. Then in August 2016 the fullness/tinnitus came, January 2017 vertigo and then a few mild attacks followed by a doozy on 21/2/17. I see the specialist on 1st March (long awaited appointment) and I'm PRAYING it isn't Menieres because I'm not sure I can cope with the symptoms I'm getting, let alone them getting worse. Good luck xx
JMJ louise0703
Posted
Hi Louise,
RE: your March 1 appointment: I was wondering if you'll be asking your ENT about intratympanic steroid injections. For me, it's been a miracle. It's not a "quick fix", but I honestly don't think there's a quick fix available at this point in time.
Wishing you all the best on your appointment!
J-
louise0703 JMJ
Posted
Thank you - I will be asking for the treatment that gets rid of the vertigo the quickest, I can't lose my job....I have no family in Australia and 2 kids, and rent. Xx
louise0703 JMJ
Posted
JMJ louise0703
Posted
Dear Louise,
I can imagine that you're very stressed out about your job, your family, and paying the rent. I would be, too. I just want to say that it's a very complex decision. Going with an option that might at first seem to be the quickest route, could very well land you with side effects that permanently impact your ability to work. Beyond conservative measures (antivertigo, anti-nausea, and anti-anxiety meds, along with low sodium diet) there are 3 potentially effective options: intratympanic steroids, chemical ablation of the inner ear (with gentamycin), and a labyrinthectomy (surgical destruction of the inner ear.). The latter 2 options MIGHT be faster (but no guarantee there), but they WILL involve serious trade offs — specifically, your hearing and your sense of balance. Intratympanic steroids do not involve making an trade offs that will impact your ability to work. They involve an injection every 4 weeks. During the process, you notice a gradual decrease in the frequency and intensity of episodes, until eventually they go away completely. You and your physician can work together to determine a maintenance schedule, if it turns out that you need one. The number of months it takes for the steroids to kick in, varies with the individual. . It has a lot to do with how severe your case is, and how well you physiologically respond to the steroids. My physician says that it runs the gamut between 1 month and several months. Most see a significant result by the fourth injection. With me, it took several months to get to the point where my head was completely clear, but it was well worth the wait. It requires patience, but it's miraculous to be be completely free of vertigo, dizziness, nausea, loss of balance and brain fog, without any sacrifice in terms of hearing or balance. It's subtle....you don't even realize that it's working until one day you realize you haven't been dizzy or sick in ages.
The more destructive options might be necessary in some cases. One day, if steroids ever stop working for me, I would certainly consider them, as living with vertigo is not an option for me. But I believe we have to look at the big picture. Steroids are a very safe and very powerful option. Chemical ablation or surgical destruction of the inner ear might do the trick for vertigo, but you might up end up with side effects that will also negatively impact your ability to work, permanently.
Forgive me for speaking out so strongly. I feel very passionate about this issue. I suffered for way too long, before finally being referred to a specialist who offered me the steroid injections. Just the amount of hearing that I lost while waiting for the steroids option to become available to me, has been so debilitating. People don't realize how isolating it can be. I would hate to see anyone lose a single decibel more than s/he has to, while getting relief from MD.
I wish you only the very best!
J-
louise0703 JMJ
Posted
You're a very kind person, thanks for taking the time to clarify in such detail - it's rare to meet someone that cares so much for others. I will definitely consider the steroids - as another person on here said it was a very effective treatment as well xx
JMJ louise0703
Posted
Thank you, Louise. You're very kind, as well. Good luck with your appointment...It's been a long wait! I look forward to hearing how it goes. I hope you'll keep us updated.
Take good care,
J-
eleftherio33095 elizabeth_03284
Posted
Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN
Clinical Neurophysiologist
Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology
elizabeth_03284 eleftherio33095
Posted
No everything on the MRI from last year was completely normal. However, they just recently discovered a mass near my nerve in the back of my knee I'm awaiting the MRI results from that. I don't know anything about tumors on nerves but I am a little freaked out thinking that the two maybe connected?
JMJ elizabeth_03284
Posted
Hi Elizabeth,
Some of your symptoms do sound MD-ish (e.g., hearing loss, tinnitus, the floor coming out from beneath you.) But, where you also have a sensation of pressure in your throat, I wonder if you're having some middle ear problems?
In the US, diagnostic criteria for MD includes:
- Having 2 or more episodes of vertigo lasting 20 min. - 24 hrs.
- Aural fullness or tinnitus (that typically gets worse with vertigo)
- Progressive, fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss (typically unilateral)
- Elimination of other sources for the symptoms (i.e. neg MRI, neg. tests for BPPV etc...)
Do you have a copy of your hearing test? Audiograms can often be a rich source of information. The audiogram of a person with MD typically slopes right to left ("reverse slope"
indicating low frequency hearing loss on one side. (Although bilateral MD is possible, it's not the most common type.)
MD is a progressive disease. When I look back to the 4 years before I was diagnosed with MD, I remember noticing progressive tinnitus, but I chalked it up to too many rock concerts when I was younger. I also lost my balance and fell a few times, and chalked it up to being a klutz. The only time I saw a doctor was when one of the falls resulted in a concussion. But still, there was no discussion of MD. I would have "dizzy nauseous days" for no apparent reason. I just ignored these things until one day while sitting in the movies, I suddenly lost the hearing in one ear, and had such terrible vertigo that I had to practically be carried to the car. From there, it quickly evolved into a very debilitating case of MD.
So, I think it's great that you're listening carefully to your body, and keeping track of these changes and these events. Once it's clear that you have MD, the faster you receive effective treatment, the better, as the rate of hearing loss correllates with the rate of exposure of your inner ear to "hydrops"...or excess fluid in the inner ear...what we typically experience as a sense of "fullness".
Ultimately, part of any treatment plan for MD, involves maintaining a low sodium diet. For some lucky people, that's the only treatment they require in order to eliminate symptoms. So, restricting your sodium (usally 1500mg per day is recommended) is something you could try now, in order to get more information and possibly treat your symptoms. If you feel better after a couple of weeks on a low sodium diet? Well, now you've found some great information for you and your doctor, and you've found a way to reduce or eliminate your symptoms! I was a "uber-salter" before MD — one of those people who salt first and taste later! But honestly, it wasn't that difficult to get down to 1500mg. And the benefits were so significant and so obvious, that it became easier to do over time.
I hope that you find out that you have an easily treatable problem, rather than MD. However, if you do ultimately turn out to have MD, just know that there are treatments out there that really work. For me, intratympanic steroid injections have been a miracle.
I wish you all the best,
J-
P.S. I apologizie for hacking you thread earlier, to talk with Louise! Please forgive me.
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
Posted
Lol no worries. I don't have a copy of the hearing report but he held it up and it looked like it sloped from the left and then dropped down on the right if I remember correctly
JMJ elizabeth_03284
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Thanks, Elizabeth! LOL!
If it sloped down from left to right, then that's not what you'd typically see with MD. It doesn't mean that you don't or won't have MD, but it's a good sign for the time being! Did he say that it was normal age-related hearing loss?
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
Posted
No it atypical since I'm only 33. But as I said in the beginning, they didn't seem too concerned about it and just wanted to retest in one years time. I figure if they thought it was something of a serious matter they would have wanted to retested in 3 to 6 months ??
JMJ elizabeth_03284
Posted
Only 33! Yes, that's young to be having significant hearing loss.
Well, the best you can do is to remain vigilant about your health, and keep track of any changes in your current symptoms. If you find that things are getting worse, then get back in touch with your doctor as soon as possible. I wish I'd learned much earlier, not to let things go!
Take good care,
J
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
Posted
They did not comment if the hearing loss was significant or not. That's why I just assumed it was minor because any rational person would think they would want to test me sooner than a years time if it were something of significance. I didn't tell a difference until they told me but now when I do little hearing tests of my own I can tell a small difference in hearing
JMJ elizabeth_03284
Posted
Hi Elizabeth,
I can completely understand why you'd assume it was minor since they didn't ask you to follow up sooner. But clearly, it's bothering you now, and that's perfectly legitimate. Perhaps you could call your doctor and just get some clarification over the phone, as to what exactly he saw on your audiogram and what the implications are? I know that for me, the more information I have, the better. Unanaswered questions can gnaw at you and make a person anxious — especially when you're not feeling good. It's often better to just call and get clarification. Besides, that's part of their job description: To help you to understand what's going on in your body!
I hope you get some answers to your questions, so that you can feel more relaxed about what's going on.
Take good care,
J-
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
Posted
Thank you so much. I'm currently in the throes of anxiety due to a mass found behind my knee during an MRI so once I clear that HUGE anxiety pie off my plate I'll dig deeper into this
JMJ elizabeth_03284
Posted
Oh Elizabeth, it's no wonder you're feeling anxious!! Just one of those problems is enough to make anyone upset, let alone both of them. Do you know when you'll be getting your knee MRI results?
In the meantime, try to go easy on yourself. You can't make the time go faster. Get all your questions and worries down on paper, where they'll be safe and not forgotten. Then perhaps do some things to really pamper yourself — something that soothes the Soul. Even if it's just a good cup of tea and a good trashy novel! ;-) I hope you'll give yourself a break, and treat yourself gently!
J-
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
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JMJ elizabeth_03284
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Be sure to keep us updated. I'll be thinking of you!
J-
elizabeth_03284 JMJ
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I will most definitely keep you posted. I'm praying this is all nothing more than an annoying journey