Just Started with Tinnitus in May 2019 — ENT Diagnosed Migraines as the Cause

[ElisabethMarie]

I apologize for the long introduction.

My journey starts back in April 2019. I had the most severe case of upper respiratory infection. When I went in my GP discovered my ears were completely plugged (worst case the GP had scene) with debris which was cleaned using a flush type system. Afterwards my balance was off and my ears hurt some. Unfortunately later on my ears filled full of fluid causing hearing loss off/on until May/June 2019.

In July and September I went in for my ears being "full" feeling but hearing not affected. My GP said it was ear infection so I took antibiotics.

By this time I was starting to experience my first tinnitus at 3am was woken up looking everywhere for the ringing.

It was October 2019 when I went to an ENT for the same pain, fullness and tinnitus. My ears were fine. He diagnosed me with migraines causing the ear issues. I was given a list of triggers, vitamins etc to try. I have not discovered my triggers yet. Except I have noticed some processed foods and maybe weather changes set it off. I've tried magnesium and vitamin B complex. I also have noticed my tinnitus is becoming longer when it does happen in fact going on 3 days now of ringing. I also noticed I feel some balance issues now.

I'm sorry for the long introduction this whole thing has me very worried hoping to find some information and help on what to do.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Quiet please]

@ElisabethMarie, Sorry you're going through this. I understand because I've been in your shoes with allot of your symptoms.

I have an auditory condition called Cochlear Endolymphatic Hydrops (CEH) I have a Post about it. Maybe read it? You might find it interesting. All the best!

 

[oceanofsound26]

Hi @ElisabethMarie -

I have been away from the forum for some time and gradually become more active as my time at sea becomes less frequent with the transition to winter in my part of the world. I have had problems with migraines most of my life and have suffered several different types. Please see - https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/what-type-of-headache-do-you-have/. If you can narrow down what type of headache you think you suffer from and where your pain is concentrated/localized (if it tends to do this), I may be able to offer some advice. When I get migraines now, they really throw me for a loop since I am sensitive light and sound with them and I have tinnitus now.

I have noticed some processed foods and maybe weather changes set it off.

Weather changes and accompanying changes in pressure were one of migraine triggers when I lived in Calgary, AB, Canada and dealt with the radical things known as Chinooks. Calgary occupies an elevation of ~3400 ft and is on the leeward side of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the foothills. Winter was the worst for me up there. Weather systems move West to East in North America following prevailing winds and atmospheric circulation cells, but mountains and other natural features can affect what part of the system you see. Cold air is more dense and cold fronts are heavier and carry more precipitation. As the atmospheric layers stratify, cold air underlies the warmer air due to temperature-driven differences in density. In Calgary, this meant most of the precipitation fell on windward side of the mountains (more western side) while the warm air rose up and swept down the adjacent valley on the leeward (more eastern) side causing large changes in air temperature and atmospheric pressure. Over the span of four days, weather went from -25oC and snowing to +20C and sunny and then back to -25oC and snowing in winter. Once I recognized this, I kept track of the weather, monitored atmospheric pressure on my own, and would take any migraine medication before migraine onset ahead of a potential Chinook event which prevented the migraine in the first place or greatly reduced its severity and duration. I also started taking a daily preventive to help my migraine problems up there.

I have only visited Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and am not familiar with where you are located, but looking up your location on a map, you are at an elevation of ~5000 feet and near some mountains and probably located in the foothills as well. The link between Chinooks and migraines may be worthy of further exploration on your part. A good reference for you - https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/weather-and-migraine/. Also, a simple Google Search on "Chinooks and Migraines" will turn up more useful info for you. Oddly enough, temporary tinnitus accompanied my Chinook migraines and went away with the migraine. I did not see too many specialists up Canada about the tinnitus link but I would wager it may have been caused pressure imbalances between the ear and external atmosphere (possible barotrauma), fluid build-up in the middle ear, and/or transient Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

I've tried magnesium and vitamin B complex.

Be careful with supplementation for tinnitus. It is a slippery slope.

I also noticed I feel some balance issues now

Balance issues are a well-known hallmark of middle ear problems. Do you also suffer from vertigo? Do you have any prior head injuries or concussions?

My recommendations -

1) Take steps to improve Eustachian Tube function to maintain near-constant pressure equilibrium in your ears and minimize fluid build-up in your middle ear. Open and drain your Eustachian Tubes several times a day using the technique in the video below.



2) Heed the recommendations in this thread to combat Eustachian Tube Dysfunction - https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-—-new-protocols-and-supplements-to-try.6514/. Something like an Ear Popper may be of some utility for you (https://www.amazon.com/EarPopper-Home-Version-Summit-Medical/dp/B01MU03MER). I always one for air travel on descent but use it more frequently now since getting tinnitus last summer.

3) Scrap the ENT visits. Move on to see a neurologist. You need to see disentangle your mix of health issues to determine which are symptoms (secondary) and what the cause is (primary). ENTs are not neurologists and will probably not be of much further help to you. A neurologist can order an MRI or similar imaging to check for damage to your cochlea and wider auditory system, acoustic neuromas and other forms of tumors, Ménière's disease, and check the general health of your cranial nerves V (trigeminal), VIII (vestibulocochlear), X (vagus), XI (spinal accessory) (all of which I have had imaged and checked for my problems with tinnitus and migraine headaches in the past) while providing you a more holistic and systematic evaluation, diagnosis, and if necessary, treatment. You might need a referral, and there should be some cross-talk between the ENT and neurologist, but everything you outline in your post above would be useful to share with a neurologist at your first visit.

4) Explore the Chinook/weather trigger further for your migraines and other issues with your docs and explore your options for meds to take upon a migraine onset and possibly as a daily preventive as well. A neurologist can help with this.

Please keep in mind any advice I or others give on the forum is not intended to replace the advice and diagnostic information provided by your docs.

I hope things have improved for you since November 2019.

All the best,

-Oceanofsound26

 

[oceanofsound26]

Also, if you are a frequent PC user, I would invest in a pair of blue light blocking glasses. Extended computer use often triggers headaches which turn into migraines for me if I do not treat them ASAP. Blue light blocking glasses have helped treat and greatly reduce the prevalence of this migraine formation pathway.