What Causes Ringing Sounds In Ear And Dizziness?

Posted on Wed, 10 Sep 2014

Question: Periodically I have been having spells of ringing in my right ear and sever dizzyness. In most cases it only lasts about 2 - 3 minutes, but I have to sit down when it occurs. Is this generally a ear issue or something elses ?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Meniere's disease has to be ruled out...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for posting the query

The symptoms described by you could be related to either Menieres's disease or early Otosclerosis.

A: Ménière’s disease can develop at any age, but it is more likely to happen in adults between the age group of 40 and 60 years. The history given by the patient becomes the basis of diagnosis.

The typical Ménière’s is characterized by:
1. Sudden onset of two or more episodes of vertigo (spinning around sensation) lasting for few minutes
2. Tinnitus
3. Temporary and fluctuating hearing loss
4. A feeling of fullness in the ear
5. Nausea or vomiting

B: Otosclerosis also known as fixation of the middle ear bones can give rise to similar set of symptoms. This happens when there is new bone formation around the footplate of stapes.

Either of these can be confirmed by audiological tests such as Tympanometry and Pure tone audiometry.

If the hearing tests are normal, then we need to look for other uncommon causes such as increased blood pressure, sinus related issues, acoustic neuroma, etc.

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

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. Ashwin Bhandari