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Balance, Dizziness, Disequilibrium, Oscillopsia, etc.
I was wondering if we could have a separate thread for those of us with balance issues, disequilibrium, dizziness, oscillopsia, etc. I'm not sure if this would go under hearing loss or brain tumors, as I experience these things with bilateral vestibular schwannomas, which are grouped in brain tumors and hearing loss. I had an outstanding therapist for my disequilibrium/balance/vestibular rehab. He taught me a lot about my issues, their causes and solutions. More than any doctor has ever explained to me. Someone had some excellent information/summation about balance that might be of interest to anyone who experiences these types of issues. I was hoping that it could be repeated under a separate thread. I am going to post this request in both the hearing and brain tumors group, because I don't know where it would belong. I'd really like to have some discussion on this topic. Thanks!
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In response to ellene: Ah, I've written long posts about proprioception and balance at least twice, once somewhere within the hearing forum and, then, due to a request, again in the Meniere's forum. I didn't save either post here, nor do I know how to find old posts successfully in Mayo forums. I'm still doing fire relief most days here, following a major fire in early Sept. that left nearly 300 families homeless, so I don't have much free time these days. I'll work on writing a comprehensive post about solving dizziness with proprioception, save it, and post it. That way, I'll be able to find it if someone asks again months from now.
Ellene: During the time I was disoriented, I avoided driving, which, of course, is very difficult, having to ask someone to take you here or there. I solved part of the problem (driving daily to the place that processed film and made color separations) by hiring an assistant whose job included doing the driving in heavy traffic. Even though you are not drunk or taking drugs, you can lose your license if you are stopped for "wobbling" or "meandering" while you're driving, and it may be impossible to get the license restored. So, if possible, don't drive at all or drive only if it is a real necessity, on a side road with little traffic, during low traffic times. You mention the problem of driving in the dark, which tells me that you're relying on vision, which is the problem: every time you move your head or go around a corner, you lose your focal point. You must learn to rely on proprioception, which is your third balance system. I'll work on a post, save it here, and post it...as soon as I have time to think it out carefully.
reply to Don Higgins: Sounds as though you have BPPV, an annoying and common inner ear problem of people generally past 50. You need to see a really good ear specialist, hopefully a neurotologist or the like instead of an ENT. BPPV happens when you move your head suddenly, esp. after not moving at all--like when you first wake up and turn over or get out of a chair after sitting quietly without moving. If it is BPPV, a qualified doc can do the Epley Maneuver to resettle the tiny crystals in your inner ear. Works for most people, although sometimes it needs to be repeated later. There's actually an entire book about BPPV, which I designed for VEDA (Vestibular Disorders Assn.) back in the 90s. I'll dig out the final pages sent to the printer and send you a PDF...or you might find it inexpensively at ABEBooks.com. I had asked VEDA to publish a book about Meniere's, which I have, but, first they wanted me to publish two other books about balance; I have all the final pages for all three books in one of my backup boxes of CDs.
@dsh33782 How is your blood pressure? Do you take your blood pressure after one of these events? What meds are you on? Have you been diagnosed with ear infections before? How did they treat them at that time? K
No ear infections I know of ever. I have been on amlodipine 19 mg and Benazepril 40 mg pills every morning for many years. No I don't take blood pressure except at doc visits.
Getting up quickly and getting dizzy is usually due to a sudden change to the blood volume loss in the brain causing the dizzy feeling.
Rise slowly and steady yourself before walking. Speak to your Cardiac physician to check your blood pressure sitting than standing.
If the dizziness continues after rising leaving you feel sick, nauseated, stagging and falling you may need to have a procedure called "Epplys" It is a method of re adjusting the partial in the inner ear that tell you when you are horizontal. It is difficult to find someone that knows this procedure. Usually a neurologist. It does not involve surgery or anything painful. Just a series of positions to adjust the particles back in place. You must keep you head up for a couple days, no down moment. The are no drugs to correct this problem.
Benazepril has some interaction with alcohol. It might be helpful to get a drugstore Blood pressure cuff. And keep a log of BP when you feel dizzy..
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Reply to pipineiro: Yes, the Epley maneuver, named for the Portland, Oregon doc who invented it. It has to be done correctly, but, if what you have is definitely BPPV, it fixes the problem. Some people do have to return for additional sessions after intervals of years, but it really works to reposition the tiny bits in your inner ear. Don't forget, though, that it's fairly normal to have more than one inner ear disease! A very high percentage of us with Meniere's also have BPPV. I've always supposed that we have weaker inner ear systems than the average bear, so are susceptible to more than one disease. For me, BPPV is only a fleeting thing, a moment on intense vertigo. I've always joked that you could tape $100 bills to the ceiling and I might never see them!