Lightheaded / Feeling Unstable, Followed by Tinnitus

I've been reading through the forums but haven't come across anyone with exact symptoms as mine. I haven't found a connection yet, if these two problems are related, but I suspect they are. If anyone has any insight on the relationship between these two issues, I'm all ears (bad pun). I'll try to summarize as best as I can.

UNSTABLE
I had a sudden onset of this feeling like being lightheaded/unstable back in DEC 2020. It happened during an intense workout video I was doing, to which you might suspect it was a blood pressure thing or heart issue, but I was able to rule all of those out through subsequent testing. It lasted for more than a week. I'll try to describe the feeling: its like if you were just standing up you can just do so without thinking about it, but during an episode I had to use all of my focus and attention and energy to keep me standing up otherwise I felt like I could fall over. It's not dizziness. It would happen randomly throughout the day and usually only last a few seconds, but strong enough to where I'd have to brace myself on something so I wouldn't fall over. It slowly got less intense and less frequent to the point where I could function normally again, but never really went away.

TINNITUS
-First attack right ear: APR 12 2021 lasted 1/2 day, was gone next morning
-2nd attack: right ear: APR 18 2021 was present the rest of the day, never went away
Along with the tinnitus I had severe hearing loss and that same feeling of being unstable again.


PRECURSORS:
MID-END 2020 - Found out my wife betrayed me, started divorce process
DEC 17 2020 - Unstable feeling started
Dec 22 2020 - Stopped medications (Nortriptyline 50mg, Vilazodone Hcl 30mg)
MAR 2021 - Started Wim Hof breathing, only did it for a couple weeks, no issues
APR 7 2021 - 1st Moderna COVID-19 shot
APR 10 2021 - Hard fall on my rear ice skating (didn't hit my head, but it was a hard fall)
APR 12 2021 - Tinnitus triggered by really intense orgasm
APR 18 2021 - Emotionally very difficult day, tinnitus triggered after family visit

-History of anxiety/depression/insomnia, otherwise healthy adult male, age 39.

TESTING
-Cardiologist, EKG, Echocardiogram. Ended up getting diagnosed with athlete's heart which aligned with my intense training anyway
-Blood work: no findings
-Audiologist: severe hearing loss, potential nerve damage
-ENT: Prednisone 60 mg 2 weeks, no improvement in functional hearing (the ability to recognize words), but there was a slight improvement in the decibel
-ENT: MRI, no findings
-ENT: vEMP test (balance), both ears are normal


I found the TED Talk by Dr. Rauschecker through the Tinnitus Talk Podcast and that was GAME CHANGING! Where my ENT had no explanation of the cause of tinnitus, I feel Dr. Rauschecker hit the nail on the head.

I'm still new to this and haven't even started looking at possible treatments listed in the forums yet. Thanks everyone!

 

If it happened during a workout and only one ear, some kind of inner ear trauma or a fistula should be considered... especially given the dizziness, tinnitus and sudden hearing loss. Seems too perfect.

I don't know why ENTs don't bring it up. I guess they figure there's no "minor" fistulas, and the only legit ones are where you're unable to walk or speak for days with total deafness in one ear only.

 

Welcome to the forum. If your severe hearing loss is sudden, or if you have Meniere's, then those symptoms of losing balance and tinnitus plus hearing loss are common symptoms. I suffered SSHL recently and I have those symptoms. You may need to see an ENT to rule out inner ear issues. Take care. God bless.

 

There are like 5 things you listed that could’ve contributed or caused your issue. Just so you know there is a full thread of people, myself included, who got tinnitus and other problems from Wim Hof. It seems like there are multiple cofactors for you and no single precursor stands out.