Tinnitus and Endolymphatic Hydrops

Hi,
I have been using this forum periodically looking for ideas so thought it was time to share my story.

A few years ago I developed low grade tinnitus but 2 years ago I had what I thought were either GI issues or food poisoning, vertigo, sweating, vomiting but chatting with my doctor he wasn't so sure. I went to see an ENT, got my hearing tested and the right ear performed far worse than the left, which is a cause for concern, they usually degrade the same way. I played rugby for many years and so the likely cause was some kind repeated head injury. They wanted to rule out a tumor so I went for an MRI, not very pleasant, but that got the all clear.

The next stage was a balance test. I searched on this forum but it doesn't look like that comes up very often. Anyway it is a series of 3 sets of tests, during each of them you have to answer questions, so you have to pay attention. The first test you lie down and then they attached probes to the rear temples behind the ears and played sounds, the 2nd test, very unpleasant, involved lying flat while they pour water in each ear, first cold then hot. I knew something was up when they poured water into my right ear and it had no effect, you should immediately get some kind of reaction, similar to vertigo. The third test involved sitting in a chair in a sealed chamber with head phones on while they moved you around. With all of the tests done the tech confidently stated "100% Endolymphatic hyrdops, classic".

So at least I had a diagnosis, unfortunately next was the ENT specialist who said we don't know what causes it and we don't have a cure. He suggested a low sodium diet and since I have been on that I haven't had a vertigo attack since, until last week, and my blood pressure is down, although it wasn't that high anyway.

The other thing he suggested was a hearing aid so I went to see an audiologist and got fitted for a hearing aid and I must say it did help mask the T somewhat, apparently the T can be caused from the brain not getting any sound through the ear to it generates its own.

Last couple of week the T got worse and I started having vertigo attacks again, not nearly as bad as before, but bad enough to the point I need to lie down. I do exercise/run a lot and previous injuries flare up so I had been using ibruprofen and I take a baby aspirin everyday, so now I am wondering if that could have brought on the vertigo attacks. Plan is to stop the aspirin and ibuprofen and see how it goes.

Even with the T life had been good until the vertigo attacks restarted, fingers crossed that it is the meds.

 

@ghhb ,
I had the tests you had along with others and MRI.
Hydrops causes crystals on the tiny hairs in your cochlear and causes motion sickness and vertigo etc.
Buccastem or Proclorperazine or Betahistine can help symptoms.

I have Menieres and had it many years now .
I take Betahistine and wear hearing aids due to sever tinnitus and hearingloss.
Love glynis

 

thanks glynis,
do you find that bethistine prevents the vertigo attacks or does it just alleviate the symptoms when you have them?

Since stopping the aspirin and ibruprofen I haven't had a vertigo attack so keeping fingers crossed that it was those that were exacerbating things.

 

@ghhb,
I have been taking it many years 16mg x3 .
When I came off it the symptoms returned and also when cut meds down to 16mg x2 aday so will be staying on it now.
Love glynis

 

@glynis
Can you send me a link to where you buy the betahistine, I am coming up short on trying to find a source online anywhere.

 

It's off my doctor
Love glynis