Not Meniere's

This particular attack is definitely not Meniere’s related. My hearing has been terrible for the last three days, can’t use the phone, misunderstanding people, can’t tell where sounds are coming from, etc… Late this morning, I started falling ALL OVER the place, which led to a nasty dizzy spell. :cry:

Here’s the funny thing, I have a dual diagnoses of bilateral Meniere’s and MAV. With Meniere’s from everything I have read, most hearing loss comes at the time of an attack. When the dizzy spell hit, I actually got most, if not all of my hearing back. :?: I didn’t notice it at first until I laid down on the couch and noticed that the TV sounded right for the first time in several days.

I’ve never thought of the hearing loss as a form of migraine aura, but this is the first time I’ve had such an abrupt improvement. Time that with a dizzy spell, and it seems to fit the pattern of persistent aura. Just a thought. :roll:

This has happened to me, as well, back in 2019. I have dual diagnoses of VM and Meniere’s. I have poor hearing in both ears, but especially the right. Had random dizzy spells, tinnitus, fullness in ears, etc. After a random unplanned set of movements (was cleaning up spilled water), I had a really bad dizzy spell that laid me up for about 24 hours; but after that my hearing was spectacular in BOTH ears. Now here I am again in 2022 with same issues, having tinnitus, hearing loss, imbalance, fullness, headache(s) and spontaneous dizzy spells. Hoping I make the right physical movement(s) to get back to where I was a few years ago after that really bad dizzy spell.

Does anyone have any head exercises that might help me out? :sunny:

Because it’s not?

They slap the name “migraine” on this but this is just a diagnosis, not a pathophysiology. The distinction between “diagnosis” and “pathophysiology” is a very important one.

A “diagnosis” does not describe what is wrong with you, it’s just a label for a condition that is usually defined by its symptoms.

Medical science has not determined what is actually going on.

It’s arguably facetious to think that just because there is migraine in the title of the condition that it is actually caused by migraine. I suspect the cause has yet to be determined and a bit more complex. It’s also possible it could be something amiss systemically in the body which manifests in symptoms via the inner ear.

Have you considered the possibility that during the times of poor hearing you actually have bi-lateral endolymphatic hydrops (which is also regularly comorbid with Meniere’s but not exclusive to Meniere’s). This additional pressure may inhibit the vibration of the oval and round windows of the inner ear as well as dampen the hearing sensors responses. To me this is a far more believable and practical explanation than the spaghetti monster of migraine.

I say this time and again, but the fact that MAV sufferers endure positional vertigo proves inner ear involvement in the condition.

This additional pressure might be relieved by the opening of a pressure valve that has found to exist in the inner ears of some animals (Site Trust Level 2 required to view) Perhaps the gates opened for you and this is why your hearing improved. Perhaps it will do this again at some stage? Then again, the fact that they both cleared simultaneously is interesting!

It makes sense that at the time of the valve opening, it would feel like an attack as both the hearing and balance parts of the inner ear would experience a sudden loss in pressure which would definitely make you feel dizzy and possibly even feel like a spin attack.

I’d argue MAV could actually be Secondary Hydrops although they are considered separate diagnoses. It’s interesting how similar the symptoms are between those two and it’s also interesting that you are meant to avoid red wine and cheese with Secondary Hydrops (as with MAV).

Imho pressure regulation of the inner ear is a wholly poorly understood topic in medicine and to me it probably provides the key to solving MAV for good and for many people.

Then again there is vasodilation in migraine and this might be impacting the inner ear. It might even cause a level of hydrops (increased internal pressure of the inner ear)

Without wanting to encourage you to take risks, I’ve often wondered if physical movements might help open the pressure valve by instantaniously increasing the internal pressure enough for the threshold to be high enough for the valve to open? Note the valve, to my knowledge has not been observed in humans but given how we are evolved from animals, there is a big chance it remained in our DNA. These anecdotes help substantiate that idea.

1 Like

Thanks very much for the insightful and detailed post. I have considered the possibility of the hydrops being a player in all this. Seems so many diagnoses are so similar symptom-wise, which makes it difficult on many levels.

I totally agree with your comment, “…the fact that MAV sufferers endure positional vertigo proves inner ear involvement”. I definitely believe it could be the pressure in my ears, and find the pressure valve “theory” for humans very interesting and plausible. I’ll be hoping and praying that the gates will open up for me and everyone else going through this!

In addition to the 2 “dog walks” per day, for the past three weeks I have also done yoga once per week (1-hour session), and 2 to 3 times per week I walk on the treadmill for 3+ miles (45-50 minute sessions). I’m going to look for a basic 15 minute or so stretching exercise routine that incorporates toe touches; neck, head and back stretches; and any basic stretching exercise that looks like it might “joggle” the head a bit. Something’s gotta give!