Medication

The pain is usually in just my left ear. It's hard to describe except that there is pain inside my ear. It can be a very sharp pain. There are times it's quite severe. If I put pressure on my ear it will help subside some of the pain. Sometimes the fullness in both ears, or just the one ear, occur at the same time. I usually get relief with ibupophren, but not always. This has gone on for 4 years. I had only had 4 episodes of severe vertigo in 4 years. But recently I tried a chiropractor that did some cranial work. Following one pretty intense session, I had 2 back to back vertigo episodes while in the office. Now I have more episodes of dizziness and balance issues as I think my vestibular system was disturbed, if that sounds possible. Of course there is more to the story, multiple Dr's, therapies, etc. I appreciate you asking.

To answer the second part of your question. As I've been passed around, I've heard allergies, the need for vestibular therapy based on audiology results. But when I went they could get any symptoms to reproduce. They might now, since it's worsened. Also from the 3 hour Audioligy testing, including the ear flushing I was told no Menieres, but then recently the newest ENT I saw said, if I wasn't symtamatic at the time, Meniers would be diagnosed. So I'm putting together my own diagnosis, based on what I've read.

Am I therefore to assume that when you went to ENT, they looked into the left ear with an otoscope and they saw nothing?  Perhaps therefore not otitis externa or otitis media.  Was the possibility of temporomandibular joint involvement discussed?  But then again this would not cause vertigo.

Meniere's disease is not associated with pain.  Putting pressure on the ear to relieve the pain makes sense, therefore the pain is real.

I am concerned that ENT has not pinpointed where the pain is coming from.  What did the audiogram show exactly?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Let me try and answer those questions without getting my whole medical file. I've been to several ENT/Otaranologists, some at quite reputable locations. (Teaching hospitals)One said he could see in my MRI, that there was fluid behind my ear. Only my MD, confirmed on more than one occasion that my eustation tube is not fully opening. He observed that when I held my nose and "blew out" my ear drum. The Audioligy exam showed I had some weakness in my right ear, but nothing else significant came up. I've had two Audioligy exams, one was basic, one was much more thorough lasting 3 hours. Neither saw any hearing loss.

I have also been to two dentists and one orthodontist. I was in treatment for TMJ disorder, but stopped after there had been no improvement on ear pain and migraines. (it was a $10,000 treatment not covered by ins) I stopped after $5000 invested. I was basically in appliances 24/7. The orthodontist who I most recently saw, said there was no significant problem with my TMJ, and did not recommend orthodontics. The increase in vertigo and vestibular issues are the newer symptoms. Fullness of ears has remained the same for almost 4 years, with ibupophren and a heating pad for pain relief.

Hope that helps, thanks for your response.

The normal audiograms tells us definetly that this is not Meniere's.  As suspected, this is not TMJ.  Fullness is a fairly non-specific symptom, and has to be combined with other symptoms to indicate something.

This could very well all be due to a blocked eustachian tube.  It appears to fit.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

What about the episodes of vertigo? And dizziness may come randomly. That often occurs in stores, or set off by certain noise levels and of course changes in barometric pressure. If it is a blocked eustation tube, how is that determined, if I've seen 4 ENT's and that hasn't come up.

Thank you for your interest and helping me. I suppose it's good news it probably is not Menieres, but now leaves me on another path to discover what IT is. And to find the right Dr. Without draining my bank account. Do neurologists deal with block eustation tubes, because I do have a good one of those I can see. Otherwise I'm not getting good results from ENTS. Frustrating, just want my life back.

If I understand, you suspect that it is not a blocked eustachian tube because only one doctor said it was (although repeatedly), whereas other physicians/ENTs do not suspect this, and so the first doctor is in a minority.  I suppose it depends on how experienced the first doctor is.  It is possible for a blocked Eustachian tube to cause vertigo.  This would cause pressure differences in the middle ear  These pressure differences would be transmitted to the inner ear (either directly or via specific receptors in the round window).  This can be compared to what happens sometimes when you dive, or have otitis media.

My idea that it could be this was based on your description of your MD repeatedly finding this.

Only ENT deal with blocked eustachian tubes.  Did the other ENT doctors say why they do not agree with the above diagnostic possibility?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Can it seen with a scope or would it have shown on an MRI or cat scan? Either way, it has not been picked up as an issue. Maybe I haven't found the right ENT.