Tingling and Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

[PlateletGal]

Hi Guys,

I know I've had both of these symptoms. Well a member here was recently told by her rheumatologist that these are not symptoms of fibro. I disagree and know I've read posts from many fibro & CFS patients who have either or both of these conditions.

I thought we'd take a poll.. for this member.

So how many of you have these symptoms ?

[dai3symae]

I have both...the tingling is minor and easy to live with.  The tinnitus is loud, high pitched and 24/4.  My balance is off and I always feel like I'm "listing" to the left, sort of like a boat with only one oar.  

[RobinHood70]

Thanks for the suggestions and info.  Ever since this hit, I think the tallest thing I've ever stood on was a chair.  While I do get surges like you describe, most of the time for me, it tends to be something that fades in and out, but is never completely gone.  I've been given various balance exercises and such, and I found that they helped to a point, but I think the variation in severity that I get makes it hard for my brain to fully compensate...it's trying to hit a moving target.

[VaBreeze]

Doesn't it though?  It's incredible how alike these illnesses are.  I'm still not sure...but i'm thinking I have both FMS/CFS.  It's been horrible...the vertigo attacks.  After my first spill down a stairwell, I saw an opthomologist...nothing wrong with my eyes.  Spent a lifetime bumping into things and being tested for this or that.  Nothing helped.  When it happened while I was on the interstate, that was the worst imaginable.  It was all I could do to keep the car in my lane...it was the anxiety from it that caused the overload, lol.  Unfortunately, it took this last loss of balance to do permanent damage and put me on disability.  So you be very careful if you are experiencing this...never stand on something that isn't made for it and secure ladders, etc.  Don't overreach either, lol.  My $1.00 windsock I was hanging ended up costing a mere $280,000.  I understand that they do offer courses on balance training...where they train your brain to focus on it better.  The one here was offered at one of the hospitals.  May be worth checking in your area too.  Be safe.

[RobinHood70]

It sounds like you and I have fairly similar symptom sets, VaBreeze, though yours seem a bit more severe than mine on average.  My tinnitus is 24/7, but the balance problems are not quite as severe for me, though not far from it...I've never fallen, and I can *almost* always walk alone, but all the rest of it sounds very familiar to me and I would definitely say I find the vertigo to be the worst symptom.  On the other hand, I couldn't even imagine driving...there'd be too much balance/direction-information overload, I think, undoubtedly triggering more vertigo.

[VaBreeze]

I will have a ringing or buzzing most days.  Sometimes my ear will feel like it suddenly clogs up and the ringing is severe.  Other times, I may turn over in bed and it feels like I can hear it draining.  

For me, the vertigo was worse than anything.  I had all types of testing done...quite a few times...and nothing was ever found to be wrong.  I misjudge steps and have fallen; had a sudden bout of vertigo while driving (which is scary) and had spells where I couldn't walk alone, but had to be supported by someone.  All due to the balance problems.  It's quite frustrating to not have answers as to what is causing these things to happen.  This began in my teens and continues today.

[RobinHood70]

Just as a comment on drug treatments, I was on Lorazepam (also called Ativan) for a while to help combat the dizziness, and it had a clear effect on the tinnitus as well.  While they were rare, there were some days where I could no longer hear it at all unless the room was silent.  Now that I'm no longer taking it, however, the average volume of the tinnitus has definitely gone up and I think I've only had one such quiet day since.

Of course, the inherent problem with Lorazepam is that it's highly addictive.  Personally, I had little trouble getting off of it when I needed to, but I gather I'm the exception in that regard.  Getting a doctor to prescribe it is fairly challenging, as they're all aware and very wary of the addiction issue and will automatically assume you're drug-seeking unless you do a very good job of convincing them otherwise.