My Story — Role of IBD and Muscle

Hello folks. I am new to this forum, but have had T for 6 years now. I have a complex story, which takes me back to the age of 26. I had a major problem with my bowel function, and it all more or less ended up with a very unpleasant labyrinthitis which lasted a long time. Only vertigo, no tinnitus. Lots of investigations, no conclusion. I said it had to be due to my inflammatory bowel disease, but no doctor supported me.

At age 45 I woke up with a ringing in my left ear. It disappeared after getting out of bed, and the same thing happened 1 week later. One month later I got it permanent.

I am now 51. These years has been a constant search for a cure, and I have had a bad journey. Again, my suspicion was at my inflammatory bowel. And we found quite a lot, but no doc sees a connection.

Both vertigo and tinnitus is mediated by the same system, so I look upon the worsening as a developing story.

I also have a rheumatic disease called DISH syndrome ( diffuse idiopatic skeleton hyperostosis ) which may certainy contribute to this situation.

Just recently I came across a publication from 2012 in Pubmed saying that labyrinthitis is a well known complication of inflammatory bowel disease, and that a sick bowel may impose the same illness in an adjacent muscle as in the gut itself. This may cause the muscle to be stiff and pull on other muscles or the spine. My rheumatologist said to me just before he retired that he alwas had believed tinnitus is caused by muscles. My experience is the same. I believe that somatic tinnitus to a very great extent must be caused by muscles pulling on spine or neck. Look up on u-tube a video from Julie Donnelly (not sure about spelling) about SCM muscle and tinnitus. Interesting!


My manual therapist loosened my atlas and axis joint some years ago, and I felt this worsened my problem with tinnitus. I believe it put my entire spine into more stress, and thus more stress and pulling by the muscles, and hence more tinnitus. This was before we knew about my rheumatic condition. But, I believe that my IBD started the whole thing and might be the primary cause. I may never get any proof of my theory, but we will now try a course of prednisolon. And I am now changing my gut flora to hopefully combat my IBD. Nothing shall remain untried in this battle. Of course, this makes T take much space. I know....