I'm currently active duty in the Army and since last October I have been having attacks where my hearing in my left year goes all wonky (that's the technical term, I think). Basically, every couple of weeks, for 2-4 hours at a time, my hearing out of my left ear gets very distorted. Everything sounds doubled and out-of-tune (like a broken radio) and I completely lose my ability to tell which direction sounds are coming from. I went to the audiologist and then an ENT doc several months ago, and they kind of shrugged and said "well, it could be this, could be this, could be this". But since I don't have vertigo, the ENT didn't really think it was Meniere's. I also have a Chiari Malformation, so they were thinking it could be neurological. At the time I'd only had four attacks. This last week I went back to the ENT and now he's tentatively calling it atyical meniere's because I've now had 13 attacks and I guess (other than the lack of vertigo) they match Meniere's and not anything else. He wants me to try a low-sodium diet and diuretics. Also, he wants me to try to get in to see the audiologist when I'm having an attack, which may be hard because it has to happen during work hours and while the audiologist is free (luckily there is one on my base, so I don't have far to go see one). Does anyone on here have Meniere's without vertigo? Do my attacks sound like what other people experience in terms of hearing?
I have your symptoms and have found some stabilization with a NUCCA chiropractor. In addition to the low sodium diet and diuretic. Prior to the ear symptoms I had a very tight straight neck and tight shoulders. Thank you for your service.
Menieres without vertigo is called Cochlear Hydrops, same animal in a slightly different part of the inner ear. It can progress to typical Meniers with vertigo but more often does not. I have this. The distortion - the broken speaker sound and other forms of distortion - are typical as is hearing loss in the lower frequencies. In my case, antivirals such as famvir, were the key to getting rid of the distortion. You can read about antiviral treatment on many threads and in the database section of the old forum. Also allergy treatment helped me. I am treated at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. I only mention that because most ent's know of it and while they may blow off antivirals as being an effective treatment may listen up if they know it is pused there. Antivirals do not belp everyone. It is a very tricky syndrome and appears to have several different etiologies producing the same symptoms. It's something to consider. I just want you to know that i suffered with many kinds of distortion as well as progressive hearing loss and loud tinnitus for 9 months with no rlief. That was 7 years ago. I have had hearing in the normal range, no distortion and no tinitus for the last 4 or 5 years as a result of these treatments. Dont give up hope, keep looking for answers. Many here have found a treatment that works for them.
I also have cochlear hydrops with my major complaint of fullness and decreased hearing when full. As of now, I rarely have fullness and my hearing is within normal limits. I take the lemon bioflavonoids from the JOH regimen and those have been working for me for about 4 years now.
Thanks for the responses everyone. I've been advised to stay away from chiropractors since I have Chiari and have had a laminectomy. I'm not sure how Army docs would feel about the antivirals. Might be worth asking them.
Depends on where they trained probably. If the specialist poohpoohs the idea, the gp might go for it. At least that has been the experience of several here.