Does this sound like Vestibular Neuritis?

Posted , 31 users are following.

Hello, this is my first time posting.  I have a serious health issue, but the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint what it is.  Basically, I've had six weeks of dizziness and unsteadiness.  It sounds like Vestibular Neuritis, but please let me know what you think.

On June 9th I got some kind of stomach flu or food poisoning.  I had severe vomiting and diarrhea.  Other than a canker sore under my toungue, I was starting to feel better.  I was exercising again and working again.

While walking across a bridge in the park on June 14th, I suddenly got a fear of heights.  I felt the same sensation the next day while sitting at a traffic light, that happens to be on top of an overpass.  I felt panicky.

As the week went on, I was getting panicky in the car every time I had to stop at a light.  I had to look down at the sterring wheel because the cars criss-crossing in front of me was making me disoriented.

Then I began to get dizzy spells throughout the day, plus I felt a permanent unsteadyness 24 hours a day.  A lot of times I had to concentrate hard to walk.  My eyes were not going where I wanted them to go.  Work really brought on the systems.  I started missing days.  I also had to have people drive me around to places. One time I had heart palpatations when there were a lot of people around me.  Eventually I asked for a leave of absense.

On the 26th, a dizzy spell got so bad I had to go to the hospital.  It was mainly disorientation, not like the room was spinning. I was still able to walk around the hopital, but very slowly, and had to concentrate hard to do it.  MRI showed no tumors or stroke.  They said it was a middle ear issue, perscribe some medicine and sent me on my way.

So far I've seen one ENT, but other appts are coming for nearologist and another ENT.  My hearing test was perfect.  The ENG/caloric test came out normal, which surprised me.  He suggested I might have Mal de Debarquement Syndrome.

I became became imprisoned in my home, and I started to feel physically weak as the days went on.  After learning about vestibular exercises on the Internet, I decided to start doing them on my own.  They seem to have helped with my balance and with my eye-darting issues.  I now go for very long walks. I am starting to drive again too.  However, everything feels totatlly different than it did before this all began.

There were a couple of nights where my brain was doing odd things. I got hot flashes (even though I'm a guy) and heart palpatations in the middle of the night one time.

My persistent systems right now are:

-suceptible to dizziness when on the computer, watching TV, doing quick head turns, being inside stores

-high-pitch ringing in my left ear

-fullness in my right ears that comes and goes, almost like there is fluid in them

-harder to concentrate

-unsteadiness as I move.  Sometimes it's a "bobble"; othertimes it's like I'm leaning in one direction or another.  Sometimes it's almost normal.

-sensitivity to sound, like the bath water running

-misidentification of sounds.  I sometimes think the garbage truck is outside, only to figure out it's our air conditioner.

Let me know what you think.  I would like to begin living a normal life again: return to work, use a computer and watch TV normally, be able to drive long distances without worry.  I'm thinking it's VN, but I did not have an "acute" spinning phase, plus the caloric test was normal.  The canker sore may be relevant because I've read that the herpes virus can attack the nerve. 

 

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  • Posted

    Yep, weight is good, waist is good, generally fit and "healthy" .  The VN is going, in that the dizziness is subsiding and now seems to come in infrequent waves rather than 24/7. I don't feel great but I just did a 25 mile cycle ride and am ok.

    I think I will take all the evidence to the Dr and push for some answers, though I'm pretty sure being "borderline" on everything means a shrug of shoulders and the old "anxiety" bag being trotted out!

    • Posted

      Good to hear that your dizziness is subsiding, unfortunately mine remains stubbornly there.  I do have better moments of the day when it's not so bad but I do still feel it.  I have been doing all the VRT including  three 15 miinute walks per day, I would though sooner go for cycle rides as I am better cycling than walking at the moment.  The physio though doesn't agree as he wants me walking as much as possible.  He is worried that I may have a bad dizzy moment cycling and end up under someones car wheels.
    • Posted

      Hi Laurence - yep dont end up under someone's wheels.  Having had a really good day yesterday gardening all day - well hacking up the garden which had grown too thick, to today - back to work and inputting data under a fluorescent light, which caused major dizziness.  Nearly sick in the car on the way home.  Couldnt eat anything, which isnt me, just managed a brew and a dry biscuit.  Went and lay down on bed with neck supported and it felt much better.  Nearly had a panic though it was that bad.  Had to calm myself down.  Hope for a better day tomorrow.  Much love.
    • Posted

      I too have noticed that I get less dizzy when I use a higher pillow.  In the gym when I lay down perfectly flat on an exercise table I got awful nausea and spinning. Getting out of bed, I'm also careful, turning to the side and easing myself up, dangling my feed. Abrupt movements are awful. Take c are.
    • Posted

      I began to sleep with 2 pillows after reading your post..Thanks much!
  • Posted

    So they did a two-hour test on me. Most of it took place on a spinning chair locked inside a dark room. One of the tests involved tilting and spinning the chair while I made lines vertical. The attendent flat out told me that I failed it. That was not a surprise since the doctor said I now walk around with my head slightly tilted. Anyway, some of the tests involved spinning the chair at incredible speeds, but I never felt like I was going to throw up. Probably because being strapped into the chair made me feel grounded. After the chair, they gave me a caloric test. This was my second one, but this time it was with water, which they say is more reliable than air. Anyway, the vertigo actually felt even on all sides. When I got home I actually had water in my left ear and had to dry it with a fan. They are supposed to use the results to guide my VRT. They plan on fixing my head tilt, so I wonder how they are going to do that. Have any one of you ever been tested with a spinning chair?
    • Posted

      Hi Kevin, no but I've been in a chair with the room spinning! I wonder how they intend to treat you with different VRT, let us know!
    • Posted

      Also has anyone come across cervicogenic dizziness? I may mention it when I can work out which ologist they are going to send me to next!
    • Posted

      Hi Kevin,

      did the vertigo subside after the caloric test? As I mentioned in a previous post, up until that caloric test I was only experiencing dizzyness, after that darn test, I delved in to the world of vertigo and have never been the same since. I almost wished I never had that test. My ENT dr said, "well, that is the sign of a good vestibular system, your body reacted well to it".  Not sure if that was sarcasm or what. 

      How long did it take for you to recover from the vertigo experienced during the caloric test?

      I like Chris's humour...lol. We spend too much time crying over this, it's nice to have a good laugh. 

    • Posted

      Marie, yes, I the vertigo did go away after a couple of minutes.  Just had the water in the ear afterward.  When I did the Caloric test back in July, it actually gave me tinitus in the left ear, which I still have to this day.  That test was with air, so I recomend people go with the water instead.  I'm sorry to hear that you test has caused such a big problem.  Hopefully it will dull down and go away over time.  
    • Posted

      I believe i've had this..lightheadeness and difficulty concentrating...Have cervical damage that cleared after consecutive chiro adjustments. What a relief..Were you injured that you have cervical problems?
    • Posted

      Kevin and Marie, the test sounds like a nightmare ride!!Marie, i would be so angry to be worse after testing... I'm still advocating cervical adjustments and nasal rinses (to unplug the ears)and the exercises..Originally i had the lighteadeness and ringing in the ears..which left for a year after chiro manipulation..that was before having the extreme vertigo hit...Prayers for both of you.
    • Posted

      I have been going to a chiropractor for years and it worked quite well for my back (so does massage therapy).  However, my neck is in another ballpark. The SCM keeps locking after many manipulations. Today she has referred me to a chronic pain management dr to see if he can help. She says she can work with my muscle but truly believes something else is setting it off to spasm and whatever that is, needs to be addressed before she can work with it. She is worried that it could be some swelling around the brain due to certain tender spots on my head. I didn't think of that, hopefully not. Off I go to another specialist. My MRI is booked in December, ugh! 
    • Posted

      The swelling around the brain sounds extreme. I think it's unlikely (not a doc, but) . after chiro adjustments, I experienced tenderness and mild pain on my head..It was a little scary, but the Chiro said it was from the neck muscles after the djustments. ..you have to heal after every adjustment..Is your head possibly tilted on the axis, and that is what's causing the scm to freeze up? Just speculating..It may sound undoable, but have you tried an inversion table? (teeter) It can do miraculous things for the spine...It's the sloshing of the spinal fluid along the spine that heals vertebrae problems..I don't know if it might exacerbate the vertigo..my chiro says not..altho I've experienced severe vertigo after using it - one time only- the other times, i had no repercussion..tilt back 45 degrees for 10 seconds the first week, before tilting back further..5 min. in the morning and 5 at night...Per Dr. Bob Marshall...I hate those MRIs, too. But  you'll get through it..praying!  btw, have you ever wore a cervical collar to see if you get relief?
    • Posted

      Hi fasthorse - I didnt think so. But the neck mri showed some disk issues that I was completely unaware of. I had by then embarked on nearly 250,000 vigorous VRT exercises that could well have compounded or started the problems with the tingling and numbness I'm now getting in various parts. The neuro did a load of physical tests to eliminate MS and stuff like that as much as he could but although my dizziness is subsiding I'm now presented with a numb face, twitchy leg, and pins and needles in the hands and leg plus a neck flexion issue that causes a buzzing through my legs.....! All very MS like but no lesions in MRI or other symptoms...  
    • Posted

      Yes, I thought it was extreme too. But of course, makes you think along the lines of viral infection, inflammation ...  You can drive yourself crazy with the "what ifs".  I will look in to an inversion table, never heard of that. I am now being referred to a chronic pain management dr this friday so I will bring that up with him and my family dr. I think my chiro is fed up with me and not being able to resolve my issue. 

      Thank you for the suggestions smile

    • Posted

      I hear you--the possibilites are many and none desirable! My brother says the viral vertigo lasts 2 days, then returns 6 months later for a day or so, then dissipates from then on..This was his experience, and that of one other man i spoke with..Some chiros are wiser than others. maybe try a different one? Pls let us know how the chronic pain meeting goes.  The tables or "teeters" are frequently advertised on U.S. tv. I bought mine off craig's list for $80..It helped with my spine/sciatica.. take care!
    • Posted

      yes, the exercises could have worsened your condition. I'm really sorry...Thank God you don't have MS..but sounds like vertebrae/disc

      troubles are causing numbness and tingling...I also have the numbness in the hands, but get relief from adjustments to the thoracic spinal area...Yesterday I rode for  2 hours and had no numbness in the hands...I hope you can see a chiropractor or acupuncturist..Inversion table can also greatly aid spinal problems. I don't think there's anyone on these threads who suffers dizziness and doesn't have cervical/spinal problems too...

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