I am deployed and need help diagnosing my wife

[Nickvas81]

My wife, which is 25, has been having the following symptoms: tinnitus, vertigo, nausea, numbness in the finger tips, and Migraines.   In the beginning I took her to urgent care where the doctor diagnosed it as strictly Vertigo, then wrote her a prescription for it(one was a inflammatory and the other was basically motion sickness pills). So she used the meds and no results.  Her and I met with the base PA the following week to discuss options.  The PA really surprised me.  He observed her, did the usual balance tests and said, you’re getting an MRI.   Music to my ears.  Well 4 days later she had her MRI and we waited until the PA received the results.  The results came back normal, nothing.   I am thankful there is no mass, but still no answers.  The PA then gave her a referral to see a neurologist which the appointment was yesterday.  She came in, over heard the doctor and she guess's an intern in the other room discussing which one they would rather work on, a headache or Cerebral palsy. “ Cerebral Palsy.” Moment later she’s called into the room and the doctor does the balance tests, listens to her symptoms and says you have tinnitus and vertigo.  DUH, that’s why she is there.  Then he sends her off with some meds and writes her a referral to see a ENT.   And that is where she is now, waiting to see the ENT.  I would just like some insight as to what could possibly be causing this.  Acoustic Neurosis and Cerebellitis were a few I have researched but I am not a physician.  

Symptoms: Tinnitus, sporatic loss of hearing in both ears,  vertigo, numbness in fingertips, migraines, and nausea.
The symptoms are gradually increasing.

Family history: diabetes (she is pre-diabetic)
I’m sure there is more that eludes me.

If there  is any info needed to further Identify please inquire.  I am deployed at the moment in Afghanistan and am very worried right now about her. Please help.

Nick

[ggreg]

She should go to a diabetes specialist, this is because the tingling in her fingers may be from poor circulation, which diabetes does that.  Also, if she indeed has a circulation problem, it can cause that sensation of nausea and also vertigo by not enough blood getting to the brain... altho an inner ear infection can cause nausea too, which the ENT can decide.  Lastly, one of the posters here gave the idea about a compressed nerve, which if nerves that go from the cervical spine into the head and down into the arm are compromised, it can cause your wife's symptoms of vertigo and tingling fingers, in which case another poster's idea here about seeing a new neurologist is a good one... they may not have scanned her cervical spine and only did her head.  

One more point, an internal medicine physician group in town should be overseeing all her general health issues, they are excellent diagnosticians, and they can order all sorts of these tests, a one-stop overall doc, who may be able to narrow down what it is and refer her to the right people, instead of a hit-and-miss type of problem solving.  And there is a forum somewhere in here for unexplained symptoms, I believe is the name of it, you could try copying your post over to there, too.  Without my doing some research, I cannot say with any certainty what your wife is experiencing, but at least you did get some neurology people's responses on the issue.

By the way, tell your wife when she gets that vertigo and undoubtedly feels unnerved by it, to take some really deep breaths, it helps reduce the sensation a few notches.  And I want to emphasize that she should probably get a CT scan of her neck, and not just for a compressed cervical nerve, but also of the blood vessels that go up into the head... sometimes they can get a little blockage in there for some reason, too, and it can cause similar symptoms as your wife's.

And thank you for serving, soon you will be coming home, I know it's hard when you know your family is having some problems while you're so far away.  But if she can get hooked up with some internal medicine people, that SHOULD be as good as anything you might can do for your loved ones.

[neava]

i would also say get another opinion, has she had any bloods done?

any other testing, i would recommend going to Gp and getting antinuclear testing done, and vitiams testing, hormones, white cell count, ant normal bloods,

it rules things out, it becomes a ruling game,

[Londres70]

In my opinion, sounds like MAV (Migraine Associated Vertigo).  I would seek another Neuro opinion since the first opinion was a "joke" and "waste of time."

I would recommend having Meniere's Disease and Vestibular Neuritis ruled out by the ENT Specialist.  

Make sure the ENT Specialist is competent in diagnosing and treating balance/inner ear disorders as all of them are NOT.  

What medications were prescribed for her?  

[hava]

Your wife can do something herself to help with the symptoms.Start on this yog pranayam and she will notice the benefit gradually. Do anulom vilom first for a few days (good for nervous system) and then do all pranayam.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 21  times.

[allmymarbles]

Perhaps she has some nerve compression. You might try taking her to a chiropractor for evaluation.