Vestibular Migraine and Tinnitus

[youngdavid]

Hello.,

I suffer from vestibular migraine with the usual symptoms including tinnitus. My tinnitus is the usual sounds and noises at a low to moderate level but there constantly.

Suddenly yesterday for no obvious reason the nose level ramped up to a high and not particularly tolerable level. It subsided a little in the evening and has returned today again very noisy!

So has any one else experienced such a sudden and persistent increase and an explanation as to the cause?

All help welcomed!

Thank you.

[bamboo89]

Depends what you mean when you say 'tinnitus'. Usually, tinnitus means a range of often high pitched noises, like ringing or squeaking sounds. I have what's known as pulsatile tinnitus - its more like a low hum (think a bit like a fan or hairdryer) which rises and falls slightly as its going on. What causes that is me hearing the blood flow nearby, and it only happens on one side. Some days its very bad, and I usually feel dizzy that side and very tired, and its hard to concentrate. It took me ages to work out that the problem is mostly caused by my neck - when its irritable or particularly bad, the tinnitus is very noticeable, along with some dizziness or instability, sometimes a one sided headache too, and I will also be hearing what I can only describe as 'throbbing'. I've even had it so that it seems sounds around me are coming in waves - a usually constant hum of traffic may seem to me that it's increasing and lessening every few seconds. Funnily enough, I have it today..., and I'm aware my left arm feels a bit throbby too (its the left side that's affected for me).

Management techniques for me were seeing the cranial osteopath, which would resolve it, but I can't do that any more, so now, I tend to apply 10% ibuprofen gel to the neck, especially up the left side heading for my ear, then wear a soft neck collar to help rest the neck. Laying flatter at night helps too, so maybe one pillow instead of two. Not sure this is relevant to you though, since you may have a different form of tinnitus.

Miriam

[youngdavid]

My tinnitus usually combines whistling, horn like noise, swirling / whooshing with pulsing sensation for some. Should add usually associated with ichthyosaurs feeling, fulness and a sensation someone has stuck their finger down my ear. I can cope with it generally but the noise level was pretty uncomfortable.

It is usually associated with lack of balance and on this occasion bad headache, neck and back pain.

I guess in many ways nothing unusual just louder than experienced before and a bit disturbing.

Not thought of trying ibuprofen thanks.

[bamboo89 in reply to youngdavid]

if you can find the money, find a good cranial osteopath - you should only need 1, maybe 2 treatments, because what you're describing sounds familiar to me. I believe the latest thinking in regard to migraine now recognises that problems with the neck can exacerbate or even cause the condition.