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ENT mentioned this disease as a possibility today...

Posted , 5 users are following.

james0958
james0958

For the past six months to a year, I've had issues with my right ear. I'm 47 years old. I guess I can best describe it as feeling clogged or full. When it happens, I also get louder than normal ringing, pressure in the ear, sometimes noises seem louder than normal which makes no sense to me. I also get vertigo everytime which varies from not too bad to how am I going to drive home? The last vertigo episode lasted over 12 hours and kept me nauseated all day. Sounds on my right side such as speech and tv also cause a heartbeat or click sound in rythm with the actual sounds. This is happening quite often in the last month or two. The hearing test today though showed excellent hearing, which I know would probably not be the case if it was done on day that my right ear was having the issue. There's not much if any pain in my right ear when it happens. I guess I'm just looking for information about how the disease started out for most of you, to see if it kind of matches up with what's starting for me. No MRI or anything scheduled yet as we are just going to see how it goes for 6 weeks with some meds to see if it gets better and isn't M.D. Thanks!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • tanney
    tanney james0958

    Posted

    You have many symptoms of Meniere's Disease but you apparently do not have hearing loss in low decibel range.  As such, it is unlikely that you have MD.  There are at least a half dozen other inner ear diseases you could have but only a neurotologlist (ENT doctor that has subspecialty in inner ear diseases) will accurately diagnose which one you have.  My recommendation is to see a neurotologlist as soon as possible.  They will likely have you undergo balance/vestibular tests as part of the diagnosis.  Good luck....and let us know what you find out. 

  • deemogs
    deemogs james0958

    Posted

    Hi, I’m not sure about anyone else but I literally have the full feeling and tinittus in my right ear permanently. Mine started with a full on spinning episode in a meeting. Very embarrassing, doctors originally thought I’d had a stroke as I didn’t have anything wrong with my ear. Then about 6 months later the ringing and fullness started. I still have toning and fullness more or less permanently and the only time it gets better I have a vertigo attack so it’s actually become quite reassuring when it’s there! I would suggest going to ENT and demanding more tests. This is what I am currently doing having changed to a different ent department in a different town and I just kept getting robbed off with betahistine and told to come back in 6 months. The betahistine do work and apart from headaches to begin with don’t have side effects so I recommend them. Interesting you say you have no pain. I have a lot of pain in the back of my ears running down my neck both sides but I’m not sure how it is for others. Hope it all goes well for you and you don’t suffer too much. 
  • Eliza.Bos
    Eliza.Bos james0958

    Posted

    James, Your situation sounds very similar to mine (sound distortions, vertigo). My ENT continues to suspect that I have early stage MD, but is hesitant to make an official diagnosis because I do not have hearing loss. My doctor suggested that I operate as if I have Meniere's so I'm following a low sodium diet, limit caffeine, have cut out alcohol, avoid MSG or any MSG-like ingredients and make sure I get more sleep. It took me a month or two to feel better, but I generally feel really good now. I do not take any sort of daily medicine but use Lorazepam as needed, which thankfully is a rarity. 

    Any improvement since you posted?

  • tvbonnie
    tvbonnie james0958

    Posted

    I have ringing in my ear right now, but was kind of normal today (but with hearing loss).

    Tomorrow it could be different.

    EVERY day is different. I am so unsteady on my feet. I am clogged. I am now unclogged. Now it's ringing, Now I'm dizzy. This disease SUCKS! I am SO SICK OF THIS!

    Sorry I yelled. I feel better.

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