Which Doctor do I need to go to after having dizzy spells for 2 months already?

[Dizzy_Girl_22]

Hi hope someone can help me. I have been having dizzy spells for 2 months already. I went to the ENT to have it checked and he required me to undergo a Hearing Test. The result of the hearing test said that "it is suggestive of a right horizontal canal lesion." After that, the ENT required me to undergo Temporal Bones and Brain MRI with Contrast. The results said that there is an "Impression: High lying right jugular bulb with questionable dehiscence." The ENT said that everything seems fine and required me to take Ginkgo Biloba to improve blood flow to my inner ear. I am almost done with the 2 weeks of medication but I still feel dizzy.

Have anyone else experienced this? Which Doctor do you suggest I go to?

I hope someone can help me. Thank you!

[specialmom]

I had inner ear dysfunction.  This caused great dizziness and actual vertigo with full on nausea.  It was terrible.  My Eustachian tube was crushing in on itself.  An ENT helped me recover.  And the trick for me was reverse ear popping.  There are also nerves there as well that when they get inflamed can result in dizziness.  This whole article is helpful in understanding what could be going on. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dizziness/symptoms-causes/syc-20371787  I will tell you that when I've had the episodes of vertigo and dizziness, they are debilitating for me. When I feel it coming on, I panic. I have had great anxiety over it.  But I haven't had an episode now in about 4 years and hadn't had one for two years before that.  So, I'm far less anxious about it now.  It's natural to get panicky over something that can make you so miserable (as I get so bad I have to lay flat and do nothing until it passes and it can take 2 or 3 days).  The ENT helped me tremendously.

[specialmom]

ENT is ear nose and throat doctor by the way.

[specialmom]

Well, I don't read very well, you already went to an ENT. Although their treatment plan seems off.  Not my experience I had with an ENT.  Another possibility to look into is labyrinthitis.    https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-labyrinthitis  This is usually caused by a virus. Cortisone may help.  But possibly this is something to look into as well.

[Dizzy_Girl_22]

Thank you! Its great to hear that you recovered from it. Hopefully, they can already determine the cause of my dizziness so that I can get the right treatment.

[Ken_PA]

It turns out that dehiscence is a hole in a bone that is part of the hearing/balance mechanism.
https://www.webmd.com/brain/canal-dehiscence-syndrome


Dizzy_Girl_22, are you maybe thinking that since the gingko didn't work, that the problem is not in the inner ear? It turns out that "Ginkgo biloba extract is used clinically in the treatment of inner ear disorders such as hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus; however, recent evidence in support of its effectiveness is lacking." 2013  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650561/

There is a drug called betahistine that you can ask to try, it is used far more commonly than gingko. However, is your age 22? From what I've seen, these types of 'blood flow' drugs are mainly used in people far older than that - that is, people more likely to have problems in their blood vessels.

Here is a study that tried to show that gingko is as good as betahistine, but that study failed.  2014 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4099171/  (It was sponsored by a supplement company.)


Still, it's also certainly possible that your dizziness comes from something else (like panic attacks), and not from an ear problem anyway.

[Dizzy_Girl_22]

Hi! I am 34 years old. I am actually thinking that maybe it is caused by panic attacks or anxiety. I actually went to the cardiologist also because I am experiencing a stabbing pain in the left side of my chest. The cardiologist required me to undergo stress echo. The result said: Mitral regurgitation,, trace. Aortic regurgitation, 1+/4+. Tricuspid regurgitation, mild. Normal pulmonary artery pressure. Normal left ventricular diastolic function. Is it possible that this causes dizziness? I am yet to return to the Cardio to interpret the results. Thank you! :-)

[SassyLassie]

Hello~Gingko is a good herb for dizziness, but, you may also have some vertebral dislocations in your neck causing the dizziness as well. I suggest seeing a good chiropractor, I see one when I am dizzy and he helps a lot. The chiropractor will take some cervical x-rays of your neck, study them and then go over the results with you. He/she will then start the treatments, if a neck issue is the problem, a few treatments should have you feeling better. Also, if the neck has some vertebrae pressing on nerves that go to the ear, you can have dizziness, again, the chiropractor will be able to help.

[Dizzy_Girl_22]

Thank you for that. Who do I go to to check that? Is that a Neurologist?

[SassyLassie]

No, they are not a Neurologist.

A chiropractor is a practitioner of the system of complementary medicine based on the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints. They use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body's musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication.

So, a good definition would be: A system of health care that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system and their effects on overall health. The method of treatment usually involves manipulation of the spinal column and other body structures. [chiro- + Greek prāktikos, practical.]

They should be listed in the yellow pages of your phone book as "Doctors of Chiropractic" or "Chiropractor" Also, do a Google search for any located in your area.

[Ken_PA]

Hi, it seems that the 'bulb' is a sort of a bulging knot made of veins near the ear canal. The dehiscence we can say means bursting/bleeding of tissue in or near that bulb.

After only a quick look, I didn't see gingko used as a treatment. Maybe it was worth a try, rather  than possibly thinking of going straight to surgery.

[Dizzy_Girl_22]

Hi! Thank you for that. I was hoping it was nothing serious. Sometime, I think the dizziness worsens because I am having panic attacks.