Post Concussion Tinnitus and Testing

[Suz]

Hi, I suffered concussion #13 almost 6 weeks ago, and already have been diagnosed with post concussion syndrome due to the number and close proximity of my head injuries. Some from car accidents, some from falls, and some from just walking into things because my depth perception is horrible.

These concussions are likely related to both an hypoxic episode post surgery 20 years ago, and my Essential Tremor -a genetic progressive neurological disease, as prior to the hypoxia I had 4 concussions in 40 years. The last 9 over a 20 year span, with 4 in the last 4 years.

This is the first concussion where I have had Tinnitus, and also the lovely symptom of automatically throwing up when exposed to a sharp loud noise (sirens, smoke detectors) or when experiencing a pressure change (driving up or down a hill!) I know, from vast experience, that concussions take time to heal, and longer when there have been multiple occurrences.

My Neurologist sent me to an ENT, who sent me to a prominent ear specialist who wants to run a VNG, an ABR, and a VEMP test. CTs showed no bleed, and temporal bone seems to be where it should.

SO, my question is, if these miserable and vomit filled tests will only tell them I need more time to heal and perhaps some balance and vestibular therapy, wouldn't it make more sense to wait to see if it improves in time and possibly just begin therapy, instead of taking these ghastly and expensive tests, which would also require me to wean off and stop my Essential Tremor meds (which although temporary would likely render me unable to eat, dress, and walk unassisted for several months.).

My gut says wait and do therapy, because specialists like tests and procedures...

 

[GregCA]

My gut says wait and do therapy, because specialists like tests and procedures...

They do the tests because there is a dependency between the test results and the therapy. The tests help diagnose, and the therapy is supposed to address the diagnosis.
The tests are also useful to rule out things (even when "nothing is found with them").

 

[Alue]

That's awful. The ABR is a series of loud clicks and it sounds like it would be pretty uncomfortable given your condition. I know hyperacusis is a contraindication for the ABR. You should voice your concerns with your WANT or audiologist that's conducting the ABR.

I doubt the essential tremor has anything to do with it. I have one too, it's just a hereditary nusisance.

 

[Alue]

Oops. My phone auto corrected ENT with WANT.

 

[Suz]

Thank you! I met with my primary today and she suggested I do the ABR and VEMP, and reschedule the VNG for a later date so that I have enough time to wean off my medicines. After those two tests I meet with the ENT anyway so he will be able to possibly learn something from the two tests and the temporal CT. The tinnitus is driving me crazy because I can't sleep and I can't sing, But at this point anything I can learn about what's causing me to fall or walk into things so often may at least keep me from having more concussions. Anyone tried sound therapy?

 

[Lebber]

This is the first concussion where I have had Tinnitus

Hey, i have the same problem too I have pcs for about 2.5 months now and the tinnitus only got worse. I can't sleep because of it.
I was wondering if it ever got better for you? And if so did you do any treatments for it?

I'm thinking of going to a osteopath for it.

 

[Suz]

Hi - I had the ABR and VEMP, and they decided not to do the VNG, as, as I had suspected, they wouldn't be able to get a valid read on due to the severity of my Essential Tremor. One must remain still for this test, and off my meds I jerk like a fish out of water. And on my meds, they would be suppressing the very thing they are trying to read, leading to either a false negative or a true negative. Kind of a game changer, and too bad my "prominent ENT" didn't actually listen to me or thoroughly look at my chart at our first meeting, where we had discussed this very issue, so we could have avoided this stress on my side, and the loss of an appointment slot on his side. All that aside, all they found was a slight shift of a bone that was basically non-surgical and to give it more time. Now, almost 8 months since the last concussion that brought this on, there is no more spontaneous vomiting with pressure changes, but the severe pain still occurs, and the tinnitus as well. Four days ago, I had balloon dilation of my sinuses and eustachion tubes, which should likely help with the pain, although probably not the tinnitus, although it is still too early to tell due to surgical inflammation. Time and prednisone will tell, and I will be singing from the rooftops if if it works. There is a slight chance it may...

 

[Lebber]

That's a lot to deal with :/
Still you are making improvements. I know pcs is hard to deal with on top of tinnitus. I'm in the same situation.

Hope the procedure will take the pain away. So you have to worry about one thing less.