Recommend me an ENT specialist in Portland, Oregon
November 27, 2013 9:05 AM Subscribe
Last week I managed to have an attack of vertigo at work which resulted in me collapsing, throwing up all over the floor, getting stretchered out of the office, into an ambulance, into the ER, an overnight hospital stay and a diagnosis of Vestibular Neuritis. Fun times. The doctors there have been telling me that my symptoms will clear up soon, but the more I talk to people, the more this sounds dubious, and I very much want to see an ENT.
Since this happened five days ago, I've not been able to balance well. Walking takes a lot of concentration; stairs are very tricky; moving my head normally results in me feeling dizzy. Added to this, I've had mild tinnitus for the past year and I've had the occasional day where one of my ears has felt full. The former I've put down to far too much loud music since I was about 14 catching up to me, the latter either getting water in my ears during my showers, or driving over the mountains going home from work. I've also had very, very mild earache in one ear since this happened.
I've heard from trustworthy people who know friends who've also had attacks of vertigo and have/had my symptoms and, when they've eventually gone to an ENT, have been told they should've gone much sooner. Some now have bad tinnitus, some are deaf in one ear, and some still have balance problems. I'd obviously like to avoid these!
Can you recommend an ENT specialist in PDX?
Since this happened five days ago, I've not been able to balance well. Walking takes a lot of concentration; stairs are very tricky; moving my head normally results in me feeling dizzy. Added to this, I've had mild tinnitus for the past year and I've had the occasional day where one of my ears has felt full. The former I've put down to far too much loud music since I was about 14 catching up to me, the latter either getting water in my ears during my showers, or driving over the mountains going home from work. I've also had very, very mild earache in one ear since this happened.
I've heard from trustworthy people who know friends who've also had attacks of vertigo and have/had my symptoms and, when they've eventually gone to an ENT, have been told they should've gone much sooner. Some now have bad tinnitus, some are deaf in one ear, and some still have balance problems. I'd obviously like to avoid these!
Can you recommend an ENT specialist in PDX?
So, because the tinnitus was happening long before the vertigo, my guess is that they are not at all related. Tinnitus is very common and typically more or less chronic. Vestibular neuritis has no auditory elements generally. Labyrinthitis, which is also an infection of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, or Meniere's Disease, can have tinnitus associated with them. Are you having a lot of crazy eye movements? Very severe headaches?
A feeling of fullness in the ear is usually a dead giveaway for an infection of some sort. It's possible your ears are just kind of prone to infection, and it finally caught up with you. Feelings of fullness and vertigo can be caused by more serious things, like Meniere's or a vestibular schwanomma, but those are pretty rare.
Vestibular neuronitis is an inner ear infection. It can last weeks. Sometimes more than a month. It's rarely treated with anything other than waiting. fwiw, based on the symptoms you listed here, that sounds like a pretty good diagnosis. Ear infections, middle or inner, really suck and they take a long time to get over.
Yes, prolonged inner ear infection or Meniere's can cause deafness and permanent balance problems. Again, that's pretty rare.
All of that said, if you are concerned, or if you feel this was something developing for a while, definitely go get a full work up at an ENT. I highly recommend OHSU if you can swing it, as they have one of the best ear departments in the country. An ENT can examine you, and they will also probably send you to an audiologist over there to do a full audiometric battery and some other tests, including some balance tests. It's also possible you'll be recommended for an MRI. If you do have something like a schwannoma or Meniere's, obviously it's better to catch early.
The short of it is - 5 days with vestibular neronitis is really nothing, and it may take you a while to recover. That said, it's always good to have a complete work-up done on your ears if you are concerned.
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:43 AM on November 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
A feeling of fullness in the ear is usually a dead giveaway for an infection of some sort. It's possible your ears are just kind of prone to infection, and it finally caught up with you. Feelings of fullness and vertigo can be caused by more serious things, like Meniere's or a vestibular schwanomma, but those are pretty rare.
Vestibular neuronitis is an inner ear infection. It can last weeks. Sometimes more than a month. It's rarely treated with anything other than waiting. fwiw, based on the symptoms you listed here, that sounds like a pretty good diagnosis. Ear infections, middle or inner, really suck and they take a long time to get over.
Yes, prolonged inner ear infection or Meniere's can cause deafness and permanent balance problems. Again, that's pretty rare.
All of that said, if you are concerned, or if you feel this was something developing for a while, definitely go get a full work up at an ENT. I highly recommend OHSU if you can swing it, as they have one of the best ear departments in the country. An ENT can examine you, and they will also probably send you to an audiologist over there to do a full audiometric battery and some other tests, including some balance tests. It's also possible you'll be recommended for an MRI. If you do have something like a schwannoma or Meniere's, obviously it's better to catch early.
The short of it is - 5 days with vestibular neronitis is really nothing, and it may take you a while to recover. That said, it's always good to have a complete work-up done on your ears if you are concerned.
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:43 AM on November 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
Going to an ENT is certainly a fine thing to do. Definitely go; you have more than one valid reason to consult an ENT. But my case of viral labyrinthitis did just go away, without noticeable permanent fallout.
posted by Coatlicue at 9:48 AM on November 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Coatlicue at 9:48 AM on November 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Good luck!
posted by Danf at 9:32 AM on November 27, 2013