Migraine or Inner Ear issue?

[Spaceboy88]

Earlier this year, I was using my laptop at home and got really dizzy all of a sudden. Ever since then, almost every time I use a computer for more than 20 minutes, I am getting a lot of tightness and pressure in my forehead and at my temples, as well as directly under my eyes.

I have been to doctors and had a CT done of my sinuses and everything keeps coming back okay, but obviously something is out of whack.

One doctor things I may have a case of labryinthitis, but I'm not getting vertigo. In fact, I had two bouts of pretty bad vertigo when this whole thing started and both came while using the computer. The balance issues aren't a big problem any more; it's mostly this woozy feeling I get in my head using the computer.

I had my eyes checked and the optometrist said everything looked fine.

I tend to think it *might* be an inner ear thing because I do get a clogged feeling in my right ear that comes and goes frequently and no amount of blowing or chewing seems to make it "pop." Unfortunately, the doctor says my ear looks fine through his scope, but then again it only can go into the middle ear.

I'm just curious as to what people with migraine issues think of this. Perhaps it's the jerky eye movements throwing off my equilibrium on the computer, but I just don't see how that would give me pressure and pain in my face and head if it was an ear issue. (Then again, I'm no doctor!)

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[marileew]

Computer/laptop use is a migraine trigger for me. Especially in rooms with bad lighting. Migraine pain can involve pressure around the eyes. And, when you have a migraine you can feel woozy and dizzy.

But... the ear popping sounds like an inner ear thing. You could have a virus in your inner ear. That wouldn't really show up on any scans and a doctor couldn't "see" that when he looking in your ear. A doctor would diagnosis that by your description of symptoms.

If this is preventing you from using the computer for work/school in a manner that you need to... you could try a trial and error treatment plan WITH YOUR DOCTOR if your doctor agrees to it... but, most doctors won't, and most doctors won't because prescribing medication... especially medication like antibiotics... when you don't know what is wrong, can be dangerous. But, your doctor could try giving you one or two doses of triptans (migraine medication) for you to try out when you are hit with one of these episodes... if the triptans work, might be a migraine and you and your doctor could go down that road. Your doctor could give you an antibiotic for inner (middle) ear infections and see if that clears up your symptoms... if it does, great. Your doctor could also give you another type of medication, I am not sure what it is... that they usually give to people that are suffering from another type of middle ear infection that is caused by the formation of crystals (although you can't take this if you have low blood pressure). Also, if you think this might be an inner ear thing... move your head about (gently... you don't want to trigger anything if this is a migraine... or irritate anything if this is a sinus thing)... if it is being caused by crystals in the ear, then it will help break them up (your doctor might have already told you to do this if they suspect a vertigo-like ear infection of sorts).

Now, also, sinus infections don't always show up on X-Rays and CT scans... you might also want to get an MRI. But, this might also come back showing nothing. If you suspect a sinus thing... you might actually want to go to an ENT and have them LOOK IN your sinuses... they do this with a long tube while you are awake... it is somewhat freaky because the tube is SO long but it doesn't hurt and it isn't really even uncomfortable. They can see infection and other abnormalities in your sinus that a CT scan will miss.

Also, I would suggest going to an Ophthalmologist. An Ophthalmologist is an ACTUAL DOCTOR. An optometrist isn't. I had my eyes checked by an optometrist twice and they said "yeah... your eyes aren't perfect, but your getting older, anyway, glasses will just make your eye sight WORSE"... then I went to an Ophthalmologist and he was like "wow... you have terrible astigmatism... no wonder you can't see anything on the black board at school or read signs while you're driving! and yeah, your eye sight is a little bit off too... and, you get chronic headaches, right? well, umm... anyone who is telling you not to wear a correction for that is... well, you don't want to be in pain, right?"

So yeah. go to an eye DOCTOR. They actually understand eyes and health. You might be surprised at what you leave their office with even after being told by an optometrist that your eyes are basically fine! ;)

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

The possibility of ear disorders seems to be less because these symptoms are getting triggered by working on the lap top. Symptoms due to ear disorders usually get worse on head movement.
The possibility of migraine is definitely there as also an eye conditions. However nothing can be said for sure without clinical exam.
I would suggest you to get an eye exam done by an ophthalmologist. In the meantime make sure you maintain a good posture while working on the laptop, the room should be well lit and light source should be preferably behind you when working.

Hope this helps!

[blackcompe]

Sounds like something to do with the migraine. Migraines are caused by over excititation of nerve cells. That can cascade and cause many things. Even a uncommon ear condition. Inner ear infections usually clear on their own after a while. They'll definitely clear with antibiotics. Check if you've got a fever!

[Spaceboy88]

Thanks for the great replies.

I should add that it WAS an ophthalmologist that I saw, not just an optometrist. (I made a mistake in my original post.) It's my normal eye doctor that I've been seeing for years. I do wear contact lenses, don't have astigmatism, and during my recent exam he did look inside my eyes and saw no problems with cranial pressure or any other type of more "serious" thing.

[marileew]

Hmm, well... that's good that you can rule out the eye thing then! So, that really does leave migraines or an possible deep sinus infection or a nasty lasting (very strange) middle ear infection... just to rule out the possibility of the last two, I would suggest going to an ENT and having him look into your sinuses and just checking what s/he thinks about the possiblity of a middle ear thing. If they say you're all fine... then, it really might not hurt to try treating these attacks with triptans if your family doctor thinks that is a good idea! As long as your not allergic to triptans and you aren't on any medication that could interfere with them (such as some antidepressants) then it really couldn't hurt. If the triptans completely stop the attack... you know that you are experiencing some sort of migraine and you'll have found something to stop it! :) But... you can only get triptans from your doctor, so you have to convince him that this might be a possibility first... and he has to think it's safe first.

Hope you feel better soon!!