Hearing and fullness

When the pressure was high it definitely "seemed" as if I could not hear as well - but there was at least one time that I had that while during a hearing test and it did not show significant change. For me the fullness is like a constant pressure, like when you are up in the plane and it is starting descent and you need your ear to pop. I would find myself pulling and rubbing my ear without realizing it because of the pressure.

Low tones were the first impacted for me - significantly. Middle tones and higher were much easier for me to hear even when the pressure was there, even "over" the ringing.

Personally I don't believe (but have no true dr feedback or science behind my belief!) that the fluctuations are not permanent when it is "simply" pressure. All of my hearing loss was immediately felt during and following an attack. Hearing would significantly go down just before an attack (not days...more like an hour or two at most) and could take 2-3 days before being restored (not to previous levels). My biggest losses were the 2 times that without increase in pressure or vertigo I lost ALL hearing in the bad ear. The first time was right around the time my mom was hospitalized and then passed away. With that I was not able to get to a dr so had NO hearing in that ear for 3 weeks. with steroids for about 6 weeks I did regain a decent portion (more than deaf anyway). The second time it happened I just woke up without hearing - no pressure change, no vertigo. Was out of town so had to beg and scream and cry but my dr phoned in the steroid prescription so that one didn't significantly impact my hearing but "some" was gone for good.

I think you are good! You would be better of course if/when the fullness goes away though!

 

Oh how weird. My Menieres came on the heels of losing my mom and some other stressful events.

 

I already had Meniere's when I lost my mom - but it did start after some serious health issues with her (open heart surgery). Stress is definitely without one doubt a trigger for my attacks.

 

I can't remember exactly where I found it but the "rupture" hypothesis has got some questioning lately. I'll try to find the link but the idea being that you have this really small membrane in your inner ear that ruptures, heals itself, ruptures again ... wash, rinse, repeat, style ... heals itself, ruptures again. If you count up the number of vertigo attacks someone with Meniere's has it seems a bit odd that this extremely delicate membrane could heal and rupture so often, right? I've read some people having three or four attacks a week. Seems odd, doesn't it?

At least that's where the question is based on. Again, I'll try to find the link.

 

My fullness has totally disappeared and my hearing is better than it's been in years. I credit the antivirals 100% for this.

 

True. I'm unaware of the text you're referring to, though alternative explanations can be found here.

The premise of my comment hinges on endolymphatic hydrops, using rupture merely as a basic textbook explanation to help illustrate, or help members form a mental model of how the fluid responsible for aural fullness & fluctuating hearing is, granting longer periods of time, cable of damaging an individuals hearing permanently.

To further explore the rupture hypothesis, I see no reason why extremely delicate need be synonymous with slow repair, nor any reason why rapid repair need be synonymous with incapable of permanent damage. Subject to the degree of rupture & considering their structures, I've yet stumbled on any information suggesting that membranes found within the vestibular system are incapable of repairing rapidly. The neurotologists I've spoken to, alas I've only spoken to a handful, are all in harmony with a 24 - 48 hour natural repair period.

Varying degrees of dilation, volume change &/or diffuse leak compromising vestibular function are also potentially capable of inducing symptoms, vertiginous experiences included. The time required for a dilated membrane - such as the ballooning of the membranous labyrinth - to reestablish its near original lattice state or stress–strain curve (membrane repair) once fluid returns to a normal volume is, I would assume & welcome correction, significantly less than that of complete repair upon exceeding its tensile strength (rupture).

 

Hi guys and follow sufferers,I am new to the forum,I hope I am posting in the right page.
I have been suffering with these symptoms for about 3 years they first said it was vertigo or labrynthitis but now saying Menieres I have noticed my attacks are happening more often I also notice I keep getting a re occurring virus and then my ears start ringing get the full feeling then shortly after my head spins and that can last an hour I vomit over and over again,has anyone out there got any suggestion on what I can do,I am having a very low salt diet and don’t eat a lot of carbs,I have been taking way to many anti nausea meds as well
Thanks for reading

 

Hi Rosa, welcome to the forum. It sounds like you're in a miserable state and looking for help. Check out the database section, where there is lots of good information. If you are comfortable posting your geographic region, others may respond with names of doctors in your area. A neurotologist is the doctor most likely to be able to help with treating Meniere's symptoms.

For diet, remember that you need to limit sodium -- not just salt. For example, canned beans or canned tomatoes don't taste salty, but some brands have a ton of sodium. Read the labels and generally try to avoid prepared foods. It's important to find ways to enjoy food, though -- a little pleasure in the misery helps. I found that grilling foods with non-salt seasonings was a great trick.

Try sniffing a swab of rubbing alcohol to hold off nausea. You can get packaged swabs at the drugstore that you can tuck in a purse or pocket to take with you. I didn't have nausea between attacks, but carried rescue medicine with me at all times. I found 5mg valium under the tongue effective at quelling the vertigo attack enough that I might avoid vomiting. But with the benzodiazepam family of meds (valium, ativan, lorazepam, etc.), it's important to use them only when absolutely necessary because they can be addictive -- so they are not a preventative medicine at all. Some people find meclazine helpful, and it's over-the-counter.

Meniere's is diagnosed by ruling out other causes of the symptoms. Usually an MRI is ordered to rule out things like brain tumors. Hearing tests are important because losing hearing in the lower registers first is a hallmark of Meniere's. Migraines can present with symptoms very much like Meniere's (without headaches), so sometimes a migraine medication is prescribed for a time to see if it helps -- if not, the case for a Meniere's diagnosis is strengthened. On this forum there are people who feel they have been helped by antiviral and/or allergy treatments, and you may want to read up about those in the database. Keep in mind that Meniere's is a set of symptoms that may have multiple causes, each benefiting from different treatments. It's good to learn as much as you can and find a systematic way to figure out what helps in your unique situation. It's also really good to have a doctor who is knowledgeable about Meniere's.

There's some good information on Dr. Hain's website to get you started: Meniere's Disease

 

Hi Claire and thanks for your reply
I have had different tests including mri,I am waiting for a appointment with ent to see a neurologist who is suppose to be the best here in Melbourne Australia I would be $300 out of pocket so will leave as last resort,I have seen someone else who also specialises in these vestibular problems he gave me monouvers to do when dizzy and excersises that improve balance,I have had mor attacks over the last month and it’s getting me down and very hard to run my cleaning business