Droning Pressure Attacks: Ménière's, or Noise-Induced Tinnitus?

[dd314]

Over the last few years, I get a strange type of pressure attack in my ears, where my hearing gets muffled and I hear a low-frequency droning sound, with a lot of bilateral pressure in my ears. It lasts for about 5-10 seconds, and happens to me about 5 times per year, so it's not often. It's accompanied with a slight dizziness, but not vertigo.

I got one of these attacks last night, but it was more intense than usual. It's so scary, and I'm worried about it affecting my hearing. I'm way more afraid of hearing loss than temporary tinnitus spikes, because hearing cells don't grow back.

Does anyone else get this? Is it normal for people with noise-induced tinnitus? Could it be Ménière's?

 

[Pinhead]

This is strange! I opened up the site because I'm experiencing this EXACT same thing right now as we speak. It's really annoying! It's lasted more than 5 seconds, though. It's been a few minutes.

 

[dd314]

This is strange! I opened up the site because I'm experiencing this EXACT same thing right now as we speak. It's really annoying! It's lasted more than 5 seconds, though. It's been a few minutes.

They're scary, whatever they are. How are you doing now?

 

[Pinhead]

How are you doing now?

Better. It lasted about an hour.

 

[Benjaminbb]

Hey guys.

It sounds like fleeting and extended fleeting attacks. I've had these before; they're like the regular ones but in a lower frequency and, for some reason, can linger. I had a fear like you guys but never noticed a permanent result.

For me, they haven't happened to that degree for years now. They may have been due to consistent headphone usage at the time. Super scary because of the fuller pitch. It may indicate something is going on but I wouldn't stress about it unless something specifically changes.

 

[dd314]

Ugh. This just happened again, and it's so scary. I really hope it's benign.

 

[benjd2016]

I experienced these symptoms a few times before my tinnitus became permanent, so please be cautious.

See your doctor immediately and try to secure some steroids in case things suddenly worsen, as they did for me.

I'm still angry, still on edge, and still desperate to stop this from continuing. I know that, eventually, this will take a toll on my life, but I hope to live for a few more years.

I have surgery for hydrocephalus soon, and I wonder if it will help stop the symptoms. I doubt it, and if this continues, my life feels pretty much over. I even have a plan in place for when things get really bad.

 

[dd314]

It happened again today. I am certain it is something of cochlear origin—there is no way it is just in the brain.

I have dysautonomia, so I have attributed it to either vasospasm or vasoconstriction in the inner ear, or perhaps fluid pressure buildup, similar to what occurs in hydrops. I cannot see how it could be anything else. It feels much deeper than TMJ or ETD, so I am confident it is not related to those conditions.