ENT specialist referral?

[rosesinbloom]

I'll try to keep this as short as I can.

I've had occasional tinnitus since I was little,my mum has it too, but didn't realise, so we thought it was just something everyone had!

Anyway, it's never really bothered me, but has gotten more frequent as the years have gone on.Sometimes I don't know it's even ringing until it switches up to a higher octave and then I realise!

Anyway, I've also started to get vertigo the past few years (along with other forms of dizziness and passing out POTS like) but the vertigo is like the room s a carousel, flashing in circles.

So, last night I had some tinnitus, this morning I woke up with terrible vertigo and my eyes couldn't focus for the morning. Then tonight I have quite a bad earache (which I get intermittently).

Do you think it's worth asking for a referral to an ENT? These are all small things I've left on the back burner as I have a whole myriad of other conditions that always take priority.

Thanks for any help.

[Happyrosie]

Hello rosesinbloom. You’ve got a name similar to mine! Also, my tinnitus history and vertigo history are very similar to yours

You probably have Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo. The first thing to do is consult your pharmacist and buy whatever s/he recommends like stemetil. This doesn’t cure but keeps you from feeling so awful. Secondly look up BPPV and follow the exercises given by the Brain & Spine Foundation.

The tablets and exercises together might be sufficient.

If you were living in the uk I would suggest you phone your doctor to see whether an ENT referral is a good idea, and whether alternatively s/he can offer the Eply procedure. This procedure is done if after two weeks of doing the exercises you are no better.

The eply can be done by a friend at home. There are uTube videos. Personally I would have the Eply done by a physiotherapist or doctor though

Let us know how you get on!! I wish you well

[rosesinbloom in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi there!

Yes, I am in the UK, so there's the relief in that (no fees).

Thanks for all of that, it's really helpful. I'm having a look at the exercises now.

The thing is, I doubt if I will know if it's any help, these things seem to come and go with me, it can be months and then I get another occurrence of the vertigo (not the tinnitus, that's pretty much daily on and off).

I don't want to waste a referral or anything. I will talk to the GP over the phone and at least lay everything out. If I need a referral I doubt I'll be seen for coming onto a year after all this pandemic backlog. But should I need it, at least they'll know.

[Happyrosie in reply to rosesinbloom]

I’m afraid that, like tinnitus, the vertigo might not go away quickly or at all - but an Eply might cure it, it does about 80%. I’m in the remaining 20% but I’ve found out what caused it in my case and how to mainly avoid it. By the way, do keep well hydrated as the vertigo definitely worsens if you don’t drink enough water.

By the way I’m just assuming that you have BPPV. If you are diagnosed with labyrinthinitis it’s the same treatment.

The exercises take time to work. Ten days, say. It cannot hurt you to have a go with them except the ones where you have to lie down - these might make you nauseous and if they do, stop. But the sitting down ones might do you good and certainly not harm, they only take a few minutes.

But even better, yes talk to the doc!

[rosesinbloom in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you. I do keep myself very hydrated, so I'm good with that.

I'm sorry to hear that it didn't cure it, but it's good you found out what causes it and can avoid it.

Yes, I think I'll give the GP a call, it can't hurt to have a chat with them.

[daverussell]

From my personal experience, and from what I've come across from various forum posts, tinnitus sufferers, et. al., seem to expect a ENT appointment will be the answer. However, with long waiting times, even before the pandemic, this can seem a drawn out and lengthy process (with the exception of emergencies and/or concerns) and not guaranteed to result in treatment. I'm not saying ENT referrals are not valuable, as even if they cannot identify anything that can be or need to be treated, they can give you peace of mind.

If you haven't done so already, I think you need to discuss all of this with your GP. Your GP may be just as likely be able to diagnose your condition or help while you wait for a referral, should they believe it necessary.

I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, but I'm just a humble fellow tinnitus sufferer with no medical training or knowledge of you medical history.

Having said all this, you have every right to ask for a referral or second opinion.

Wishing you all the best 😊

[rosesinbloom in reply to daverussell]

Yes, I understand.

In honesty, it's not even the tinnitus that I'm thinking of the referral for, as I've said, I've know I have it for years now and just decided to get on with it as one of those things. I didn't think there was any help, so just left it.

It's more the combination of that with the vertigo and recurring earaches that made me think it may be seeking some help.

I will discuss it with my GP.

[daverussell in reply to rosesinbloom]

It's the other symptoms I was thinking about too.

[rosesinbloom in reply to daverussell]

OK, cool.Honestly though, I really don't expect a referral to be the magic solution, if you knew my medical background, you'd know that being referred over to specialists hasn't really got me any further, and I understand it's basically on me.

I just wondered if perhaps there may be some fluid or something that's causing this, so would it be worth seeking out an ENT or not.

[lynstone60 in reply to rosesinbloom]

hi. i have had the dreaded T in my left ear only since sep this year ,it is pulsatile in rythem with my heart beat very scary . i was referred to the hostpital for a MRI scan of my ears to rule out anything nasty ,it was all clear ,my doctor then said since i have had a MRI i should take comfort in knowing the scan came back clear and basically live with it . i still have it ,it gets louder when i am stressed and goes very quiet when im not , i still havnt got to the bottom of this dreadful condition . with the current situation like it is (covid etc i dont think i will ,unless i go private and get more tests done ,. i haven't got the funds to go private so i just live with it . hope you find some piece and a diagnosis .good luck x