Dizziness/Balance - Inner Ear Testing

[bean418]

Has anyone had extensive inner ear testing for their balance and dizziness issues?  If so, what type of testing has been done?

I ask because my NL claims that the dizziness is typically related to inner ear problems.  Although I have seen an ENT several times, there really hasn't been any testing done on the ears (outside of the general exam they do looking with the light in ears, nose and throat) so not quite sure what type of testing they would actually perform.  ER did CT which came back negative.

Thank you for your input !

[bean418]

I know....it stinks that the least little efforts can cause such a large disruption to our daily lives.  My friend has MS and she gets very fatigued under stressful situations and just thinking about holiday events.  

If surgery is going to be in my immediate future, I will be hoping that I recover as well as I did during my hysterectomy.  Ahhhh, that was no pain, no meds, no fatigue and the speediest recovery.  Piece of cake that was.

Thank you for the good luck !

[selmaS]

  Well I know hard labor is not my friend and no matter what, I can not do it....with a DX of EDS I will have flare ups which I just got over and I am not sure what did it, making the bed or doing dishes...lol...

Age and ALL the conditions we may have could have a larger role in what u can do post op...plus, allowing urself to heal and wait longer b4 u get back to all those things u think u should be doing.

Good luck next week.

[bean418]

We will see next week how the appt. goes.

Since I have already been seen by a different NS at JH previously, not too sure how this is going to pan out.

Then again if they say yes surgery is needed, I am probably gonna think they are just trying to shut me up because I have been sooooo persistent.

Tired of being in limbo with lifes decisions that lie in front of me.  I have been waiting out major decisions due to all this.  Such as career change, school and moving.  So nervewracking.

Geez....I just wanna be able to shovel snow or cut the grass in the summer and not pay for it for the entire following week.   LOL, my immediate lifelong goals are hard labor.

[selmaS]

  I know, it is crazy all the testing we go thru....and how they so badly want it to be something other then what they found....CHIARI....ugh...

GI issues are not uncommon with Chiari.,...I have had issues for yrs long b4 I got my Chiari DX....but then again, since our spinal cord is affected, we can feel issues all over with out it being the main source of the problem....some issues I had pre op are now gone....

It always comes down to the NS....and how well he/she knows Chiari and related conditions and symptoms.

[bean418]

Hi Selma !  Hope you are having a great new year so far !!!

I do not anticipate that it will help me either and honestly would much prefer to save the future PT copayments for something much better :-)  This maneuver was explained to me by a PT a few months ago when I was dx with vertigo which we now know is not really vertigo...hmphhhh.

Just trying to rule out everything possible before my NS appt. next week.  

Recently experiencing stomach pains again, my PCP advised GYN appt.  Knowing this was not the answer, off I went.  They did not anticipate it to be gyn but did order an u/s....which showed nothing so she said try GI.  LOL, who wouldn't have guessed that was coming.  No thanks, I have already been to GI in July & August with no answers so we won't be repeating that.  Just more of these quirky things that transpire.

Today we have snow and it is just aggravating the heck out of my light sensitivity.  

[selmaS]

  Hi...yrs b4 my Chiari DX I had some testing done, meds given as that was the suspicion...The Epley maneuver was something I was told to try....it is all with the premise that the crystals in the ear have shifted and causing one to be dizzy, u r to lay down ( or b4 u get up in the AM)  roll to one side to allow the crystals to move back (wait approx 2 mins)  to where they belong, slowly sit up....if this does not work, try doing this on the other side/

The way this is explained to be done by a Dr or technician is far too aggressive for one with Chiari....but a less forceful may be successful if this were the issue....it did not help me.