Sudden hearing loss - vertigo and dizziness

Good luck! And let your vertigo go away soon!

Call your ENT back and let them know that you feel you are experiencing loss in the other ear and ask them whether that changes treatment or follow-up. A hearing loss in both ears may warranty different investigation than loss in one.

With single-sided hearing loss, in all likelihood, the acute, spinning dizziness will subside over the next week or so with ongoing imbalance after that for a few more weeks that will eventually resolve with regular activity or with vestibular therapy. If you tend to be an axious sort of person, skip the “wait to see if it resolves on its own” phase and seek out vestibular therapy, as anxiety can aggravate things. If the other ear is involved, the spinning should still subside but the imbalance may last longer and again, you’d want to seek out therapy/support.

6 Likes

My doctor is out of office today and isn’t on call so I have to wait until 1130 tomorrow. Tried a few more doctors and they have nothing available. My fiancée and family want me to try urgent care, but I’m not sure what worse they can do. Figured I’m just playing the waiting game and I’ll see what my doctor says tomorrow.
Thanks for the great advice and I will keep you updated

1 Like

Unclear on which doctor you called and the response you got. If you called the ENT’s office, even if your doctor isn’t available, they should have an ENT on call that could call you back and give advice.

You’d think. I called my ENT and everybody is out until tomorrow so I have to wait and see.

Did you ask for a call or did you ask for an appointment? I can’t imagine they don’t have somebody oncall (not in the office, but available by phone).

I asked for an appointment or a doctor on call. It’s the holiday and COVID so I was told to wait until tomorrow.

I’ve suffered from vertigo for decades, separate issue from my hearing. It struck me out of nowhere in my late 20’s, and for about 3 months I was virtually housebound. Eventually I got used to it and resumed a fairly normal life, and even longer after that, it receded to a background issue that barely has any impact at all except for an occasional mild flare-up if I push myself too hard (dehydration a major trigger). The body is remarkably adaptable, and I am betting you will also get to where it becomes less of a crippling event and more or a minor irritation.

1 Like

Thank you for the words of wisdom. With all of the support I’ve been receiving, I am trying my best to not be a negative Nancy. I’m trying to make sure I walk around the house often and trying to do “daily” tasks like laundry and showering. Sounds like a lame day, but it does make me feel accomplished. I know it will only get better whether I obtain hearing aids and/or able to read/not be dizzy. Just the waiting game on when I can start improving.

Thank you all again. Your support means the world to me and my overactive mind. As I’m sure you can tell I’m no expert at delayed gratification.

2 Likes

I feel your pain francikl87, it brought back some dire memories as I was in my prime and a couple of years or so older than you when SSNHL hit, a Russian viral flu whilst living in the remote Shetland Islands off the north coast of Scotland, but it’s actually closer to Norway… Anyhow, I went strait to the local doctors surgery as my hearing was down, doctor gave me a decongestant for common flu, he should have given me steroids as a precaution, back I went a week or so later only to receive an apology from the same doctor, he had made a mistake and apologised profusely for his questionable treatment of me, twas the only ever apology I have ever received from any medical doctor and at the time I thought, he was man enough to make that apology so I will not sue or take up any litigation, we all make mistakes in our day jobs, but if a medical person makes a mistake then the consequences can be severe and life changing! Suffice to say, the next 15 to 20 years or so became very challenging, severe to profound bilateral sensory hearing loss, severe tinnitus, vertigo, nausea, severe balance problems, vision distortion and severe hearing distortion and eventually I was diagnosed with Meniers disease… nowadays I am mostly fine, the odd balance problem and my hearing got progressively worse, but I also suffered with anxiety and my mental health has been up and down since my Meniers burned itself out. My point I suppose is we adapt to what ever life throws your way, we are born survivors and when the going gets rough, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and we go again, eventually we will win through, it may not be the life we had envisaged or planned but as long as we have a fair quality of life in my book we have achieved something out of adversity, I reiterate we are survivors… Good luck on your journey and hopefully your medication will work or at the very least be elevated, it is by no means an easy road to travel, but with the support of friends and family you will make it, plus you have the fallback of this forum, we are always here to help if we can. Cheers Kev

Thank you kevels55. I appreciate you reaching out! Hopefully things get better, but I think you sent the perfect message…we are survivors and will make it through. Thanks!

2 Likes

Don’t worry, tomorrow is soon enough. :slight_smile:

1 Like

You are very welcome… I was fearful I was perhaps being a bit too blunt, you have elevated my worries, thank you. I learned to eventually except my hearing loss and all the extra baggage that tagged along with it, though in truth this took many wasted years, you will grieve for your old self, but if you can teach yourself to except the new you, then you will adapt much quicker and conquer whatever fate throws your way… good, bad or indifferent, you will come out the other end a better and stronger person. Good Luck, Cheers Kev.

1 Like

My ENT is worried and sending me in for an urgent MRI. My GP is concerned about my vision and sending me to a neurologist, opthomologist and pt for the vertigo. As I couldn’t hear well, I’m unsure of my ear doctor is worried due to the loss of hearing or for other health issues. We did bring up cochlear implants which I’m on with. Anything to get back to normal! Will keep you all updated.

4 Likes

My neurologist had guessed that I have susac syndrome based on my MRI. They stopped my 60mg of steroids and put me on 100mg iv steroids for 3 days to reduce the inflammation in my eyes and ears. I am adopted so they also took a hereditary sample. My blood was taken and I will have results in a few days. I also had a second hearing test and there is improve by in my right ear ( the first eat to go last Monday) and decline in my left ear (the ear to go last Thursday). I have hope that improvements are to come! Thank you all for the support!

4 Likes

Glad that they’re taking your seriously and doing further exams.

Wish you all the best and as much improvement with hearing as possible plus of course, complete healing form the rest :slight_smile:

1 Like

I’ll just add on to this as it seems many people are reluctant to bug their doctors. If you have a situatiion where things are not going as expected, it is always ok to call your doctor’s office and ask to speak with them or whoever’s on call. If the call service asks you to wait, tell them you’d rather have the doctor make that determination. This can be done at any time of day and any day of the week. Of course try to be respectful, but if you’re concerned (and assuming you don’t regularly make a pest of yourself), it’s ok to ask to speak to the doctor.

4 Likes

Just wondering about the hearing loss as that is not usually a symptom/effect of BPPV. I had Meniere’s in the past and lost most of my hearing in one ear. The dizziness with Meniere’s is not usually positional and I would feel like I was talking through a tunnel when a dizziness attack was coming (although I don’t know if this is typical).
Did they test you for Meniere’s? Back in the 1980s when I had Meniere’s, the tests were not very specific but I think they are better now.
The hearing loss and dizziness are the main symptoms. Eventually the dizziness subsides but the hearing loss is permanent. I just had my first episode of BPPV and that is very positional and seems to be more easily treated.
Hope you find the correct diagnosis whichever it is .

Do let us know how things are going.

I can’t see too well but things are moving. I have a t Trimble side effects to the medicine and cannot sleep and have headaches. I cannot hear at all but my neurology abd dr are hoping that I’ll feel better if next week. My finger is reahh chi big out to a specialist in a diffent state and hooting to get answers. Will do my best to keep you updated.

1 Like