My ears are dizzy

May 6, 2013 3:38 PM

I have an appointment to see an ENT doctor next week because of vertigo and ear pressure/pain. I have a strange symptom that I wanted to ask about before I went. Basically, can optical illusions make my ears hurt?

I was looking at an optical illusion today (this one), and the longer I looked, the more pressure I felt in my ears, until I was very uncomfortable - but not really visually dizzy, at least not more so than would be normal. Obviously, I'm not looking at images like these anymore, but I was wondering if (and why) there would be a connection between my vision and my ears.

As I said, I'm seeing a doctor next week, but I'm curious today.

posted by bibliowench to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

The inner ear is largely responsible for balance, so if you're doing something that makes you feel off balance or dizzy (like watching that optical illusion), it's totally reasonable that your ears might react to that in some way, in your body's effort to try to determine why your visual sensation is not matching your vestibular (physical) sensation.
posted by brainmouse at 3:44 PM on May 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

When I had water on my ear I was dizzy, but I also felt like my eyes weren't tracking properly. I told my doctor the best way to describe it was "the world is rolling by me on a conveyor belt and I feel like I'm slightly behind." My eyes would kind of skip around. My doctor said it was one of the most accurate descriptions she had heard on the vision subject.

So I had vision problems when I had water on my ear after a cold. I was prescribed pseudoephedrine for a while until it finally cleared.
posted by Crystalinne at 3:52 PM on May 6, 2013

Ears, noses, throats, eyes - all kinds of stuff in your head is all mixed up with dizziness and nausea-related things. I think it's basically a miracle any of us can walk in a straight line or ride a bicycle, honestly.

(This also happens with headaches, BTW. My hearing, vision, and balance are all greatly affected by even a relatively mild migraine.)
posted by SMPA at 5:41 PM on May 6, 2013 [1 favorite]