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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Pressure In Head, Difficult To Swallow. Taking Betahistine. Assumed As Inner Ear Infection. Suggest?

Whilst flying I experienced severe pressure in my head, i could not focus and found it difficult to swallow. I felt like I was going to pass out but not in the way of fainting, it was very frightening, it felt like something was wrong with my brain. I have been to the doctors and they said this could be the cause of an inner ear infection and prescribed me betahistine. It has been nearly four weeks now and I am still suffering. I have not even had it confirmed that it is inner ear infection, it just an assumption of the doctors because you cant see an inner ear infection. please can you tell me where I should go from here.K
Mon, 8 Apr 2013
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ENT Specialist,  's  Response
hello kerry
By going through the summary you have given i feel you should take Cinnarizine instead of betahistine...and that too half an hour before your flight....Secondly it happens every time you fly or had only once is not clear.....so you can take a Decongestant tablet also in addition.
Get done a pure tone audiometry (hearing test) to support the diagnosis of inner ear infection as told to you by doctors.
this kind of vertigo can be because of
infection,,,or vestibular disorder of other cause.
if infection then its mostly viral then you need to take some medicines like acyclovir etc..
so its better get done hearing test and consult ENT specialist
and if this happens every time you fly---then avoid flying take vestibular rehabilitation exercise and medicines written above.
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ENT Specialist,  Dr. A.K. Srivastava's  Response
Hello

Thanks for writing to H.C.M. for your query.

I have gone through your query regarding unusual feeling and pressure in head . Though you are being examined by your family doctor and he given you tab betahistine but you can't get any responce to this treatment even after 4 weeks.

Considering your symptoms it appears as you may be having possibly any of these -

(a) persistant eustachian tube dysfunction.

(b) vestibulitis.

(c) Chronic sinusitis.

(d) Neoplasm at C.P.angle of brain.

All these have got there characteristic signs and are diagnosed by thorough examination and relevent investigations by ENT specialist. Once the disease is diagnosed that may be treated accordingly.

Regards.
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Pressure In Head, Difficult To Swallow. Taking Betahistine. Assumed As Inner Ear Infection. Suggest?

hello kerry By going through the summary you have given i feel you should take Cinnarizine instead of betahistine...and that too half an hour before your flight....Secondly it happens every time you fly or had only once is not clear.....so you can take a Decongestant tablet also in addition. Get done a pure tone audiometry (hearing test) to support the diagnosis of inner ear infection as told to you by doctors. this kind of vertigo can be because of infection,,,or vestibular disorder of other cause. if infection then its mostly viral then you need to take some medicines like acyclovir etc.. so its better get done hearing test and consult ENT specialist and if this happens every time you fly---then avoid flying take vestibular rehabilitation exercise and medicines written above.