ASAP Pease

I have vestibular weakness in my left ear.  This has caused me to become very anxious.  My balances is also off.  I have what they call an imbalanced gait when I walk.  This all started a few months ago when I started taking Syntroid for Hashimoto diease due to an small lump on my thryoid.  While I was taking Syntroid I had become very anxious, got very dizzy one night and started walking favoring my left side. I have gone to various dr and had various tests.  The results vestibular weakness, now I go to vestibular rehab twice a week.  Will this really help?  What could have causes all of this?  Reaction to Syntoid? Aniexty causing the dizziness? My thyroid? My dr seem conflicted.  Thank you

[Nancy T]

I have no idea if thyroid medications can cause dizziness. As far as I know (and I'm not an expert), they wouldn't cause actual vestibular weakness.

Dizziness and anxiety often go hand-in-hand, regardless of which one caused which. The vestibular system is closely linked to the autonomic nervous system, which controls the "fight-or-flight" response. So people with chronic dizziness very often develop anxiety.

If you had some injury to your inner ear causing vestibular weakness, rehab should help. Hopefully you have a therapist who specializes in vestibular rehab (see lists at www.vestibular.org). It is really VERY helpful for most people, but you have to be persistent with the exercises.

The best specialist for inner-ear disorders is a neuro-otologist, also spelled neurotologist (if you haven't already seen one). See lists at www.vestibular.org (not complete lists) or at the American Neurotology Society Web site.

Sometimes they simply can't tell for sure what causes a patient's vestibular problem.

Best of luck,
Nancy T.