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What Causes Ear Discomfort, Vibrations In Ear And Dizziness?
Question: I have had three years of dizziness and some allergy/sinus problems. I am on 1-2 mg of valium at night to help, but caffeine and alcohol seems to make it worse. I sometimes feel like I am having a histamine release when I get a sudden impact of dizziness that is like a brain flip. It goes away as quick as it comes, but is scary. I now have squeaking in my left ear when I blow my nose and can sometimes here myself talk or vibrating in that ear. With all this I have recently had an old root canal start throbbing and they have gone in to do a re-root canal and add antibacterial meds. It felt a little better after a week, but am getting a cold and seasonal allergy issues now and it is throbbing a little again. I have had an M.R.I that was ok, did go to an ear specialist and did the major dizzy two hour test and they say I have a little issue in my left ear that is the reason for the valium. I feel like I need to be back at the ENT because the root of the problem is not in my tooth, but possibly what they saw on the CAT scan a "mucosal sinus diseas," or something. I do feel like I have a infection type smell in my sinuses. I know too much info., but any thoughts???? I don't like to take any antibiotics they make me feel horrible and don't want to be on valium just because they may not have figured out the problem. Thank you!!!!!
Brief Answer:
Meniere's disease needs to be ruled out...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for posting the query and an elaborate history. I do understand your problem; I will try my best to help you out with this.
1. Ear discomfort is because of your sinus issues. The Eustachian tube (the tube connecting nose and the ear) is not functioning properly and hence the discomfort in the ear. If the sinus issues resolve, then automatically, the ear problem will also get solved.
2. Allergy does not have cure. Prevention is the best treatment. Prevent those things which induces allergy, and then you will not have any problem. Anti-allergy medicines have to been taken on a permanent basis.
3. In your history it is mentioned that, there was temporary relief in the ear problem when you took antibiotics for the root canal treatment. The antibiotic used for the dental work was also effective in treating the sinusitis. This implies an infective etiology in the present issue.
4. In your case, the dizziness could be either due the recurrent sinusitis or Meniere’s disease. Valium is just a treatment for the symptoms, but the cause needs to be identified and treated accordingly.
My suggestions to you are:
1. To drink plenty of warm water - to rehydrate the tissues and help in effective clearing of the mucous secretions from the nose.
2. Do steam inhalation 3-4 times a day, at least for a couple of minutes. This will relieve the nasal block as well as open the Eustachian tube.
3. Avoid coffee/alcohol/chilled food and beverages
4. Use steroid nasal spray such as fluticasone or momentasone to reduce the nasal congestion and the allergy.
5. A mucolytic such as bromhexine or ambroxol will help in thinning out the secretions and relieve the block.
6. Use saline nasal spray to relieve the nasal block and easy clearance of the mucus secretions.
7. Request your doctor to get tympanometry and pure tone audiometry done to check for the problem in the ear.
Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Meniere's disease needs to be ruled out...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for posting the query and an elaborate history. I do understand your problem; I will try my best to help you out with this.
1. Ear discomfort is because of your sinus issues. The Eustachian tube (the tube connecting nose and the ear) is not functioning properly and hence the discomfort in the ear. If the sinus issues resolve, then automatically, the ear problem will also get solved.
2. Allergy does not have cure. Prevention is the best treatment. Prevent those things which induces allergy, and then you will not have any problem. Anti-allergy medicines have to been taken on a permanent basis.
3. In your history it is mentioned that, there was temporary relief in the ear problem when you took antibiotics for the root canal treatment. The antibiotic used for the dental work was also effective in treating the sinusitis. This implies an infective etiology in the present issue.
4. In your case, the dizziness could be either due the recurrent sinusitis or Meniere’s disease. Valium is just a treatment for the symptoms, but the cause needs to be identified and treated accordingly.
My suggestions to you are:
1. To drink plenty of warm water - to rehydrate the tissues and help in effective clearing of the mucous secretions from the nose.
2. Do steam inhalation 3-4 times a day, at least for a couple of minutes. This will relieve the nasal block as well as open the Eustachian tube.
3. Avoid coffee/alcohol/chilled food and beverages
4. Use steroid nasal spray such as fluticasone or momentasone to reduce the nasal congestion and the allergy.
5. A mucolytic such as bromhexine or ambroxol will help in thinning out the secretions and relieve the block.
6. Use saline nasal spray to relieve the nasal block and easy clearance of the mucus secretions.
7. Request your doctor to get tympanometry and pure tone audiometry done to check for the problem in the ear.
Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you so much. They have ruled out Menieres that was the two hour test I did. I do Flonase, use an epi-pot and have just recently started back on Claritin and regular allergy shots. I appreciate your input. I am just wondering if the tooth is not the issue at all and this is all some form of acute sinusitis. The ear wasn't helped with the antibiotic, actiully this problem has been kind of constant it just is screeching when I blow my nose. I do have an impacted wisdom tooth too that some say could be the problem, some say not. Just several different opinions and don't want to keep getting dental work done if it doesn't need to be in the equation.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Brief Answer:
Impacted molar can affect the sinus...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing back
It's good to know that Ménière's disease is ruled out. Then the most probable cause of your dizziness could be due to the pressure created by the blocked sinuses. Once the block is relieved, then your symptoms may get better.
Always use a steroid nasal spray rather than taking antihistamine, this is because, the steroid nasal spray acts locally, whereas, the oral antihistamine has to get circulated in all the parts of the body before reaching the nose. Hence, there is unnecessary distribution of the drug to other parts of the body.
Impacted upper molar may have connection with the floor of the maxillary sinus and hence any infection in that particular tooth may reach the sinus very easily.
I wish you good luck and good health.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Impacted molar can affect the sinus...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing back
It's good to know that Ménière's disease is ruled out. Then the most probable cause of your dizziness could be due to the pressure created by the blocked sinuses. Once the block is relieved, then your symptoms may get better.
Always use a steroid nasal spray rather than taking antihistamine, this is because, the steroid nasal spray acts locally, whereas, the oral antihistamine has to get circulated in all the parts of the body before reaching the nose. Hence, there is unnecessary distribution of the drug to other parts of the body.
Impacted upper molar may have connection with the floor of the maxillary sinus and hence any infection in that particular tooth may reach the sinus very easily.
I wish you good luck and good health.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty
Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist
Practicing since :2001
Answered : 2543 Questions
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