Labyrinthitis or Ménière's

I'm 19 and about two months ago I came down with a sudden onset of symptoms starting with a weird echoing in my ear and then tinnitus and then hearing loss and some nausea as well as walking off balance all within a few hours.

I never noticed anything weird going on I my ear prior to this.

Then the next day I had a serious episode of vertigo and nausea. The tinnitus remained constant all throughout.

After that I felt uneasy all throughout the next week and some hearing returned but the loss was definitely noticeable.

The tinnitus wasn't as loud but definitely noticeable as well. I was no longer dizzy anymore and oh yes I almost forgot to mention that my ear felt slightly clogged or with a bit of pressure against it during the episode of vertigo. But other than the tinnitus and hearing loss I felt fine.

Then I went to Mexico and saw six different ENT specialists and they all said it was viral labyrinthitis. I took an audiometry about two weeks after the episode and there was a slight loss I believe 30 db in the high frequency range I believe above 8000 hz or so.

Then I was fine for weeks on end no symptoms at all and the tinnitus kept lowering in volume until it was almost not there except in quiet areas. The hearing loss was still noticeable when I rubbed my fingers together against the ear. I came back to the US and I saw an ENT here and he said that he too thought it was viral labyrinthitis. After that about three weeks went by and I visited another ENT just to be sure and he too said viral labyrinthitis because of the hearing test results. He did a tympanometry which was a bit uncomfortable and said to have a new hearing test done.

I went home and I started researching stuff online again which has become an obsession and I'm very afraid. I then went home and not two hours later I noticed a change in my T from a hiss to a hum. Then the next morning I woke up with my ear clogged again with some pressure to it and then came the dis balance and vertigo and nausea.

The tinnitus was louder and that night I went to Mexico where I've seen three ENT specialists that are highly recommended and all three told me that it was not Ménière's that they guaranteed that it wasn't that. All three checked my ear and they saw drops of blood inside my ear on my ear drum and they all said that I was probably hurt somehow.

Since then I have no symptoms except the tinnitus which has calmed down and my hearing has returned. I had a hearing test done and everything was normal in both ears except for a small dip in my affected ear that was a little more than 20 db (so almost normal) in the 250 hz range. I don't feel dizzy or anything and I can even move my head rapidly without any effect. I am really hoping it's something else like labyrinthitis.

Another detail is that a coworker of mine came down I'll with exactly the same symptoms at the same time that I did back in May. She had Tinnitus, clogged ear, loss of hearing, and dizziness. She still has tinnitus and some loss of hearing.

 

A warm welcome to Tinnitus Talk.
What you describe is Labyrinthitus and to have a couple of attacks so close will be the virus in your system still effecting your ears.
If you do have any more episodes keep a diary to show ENT.
I have had Menieres 12 years + and in the past Labyrinthitus and another attack with a menieres attack that caused my hearing take a dive.
Good luck and hope all goes well...lots of love glynis

 

I've had a lot of middle/inner ear infections in my life and they never resulted in T because I treated them fast. I got it from something else. Go see an ENT and get some antibiotics, fast

 

I am right there with you, except in your case I really don't think that there is any cause for concern. You are so young. Most people don't get Meniere's until they are much older. Plus, what you have described sounds like Labyrintitis. Have you had any head or neck trauma that might make you susceptible to having Meniere's?